Sailing with Fire
by superfreakerz
Summary: Lucy is in desperate need of a break from the mage life and embarks on a two week cruise alongside her partner, Natsu. What they don't know is that it's a cruise designed specifically for couples. With no other choice than to pretend they are married, the two try to enjoy the cruise the best they can, all the while dealing with uncharted feelings.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** I'm here with a new story! :D I want to start off by saying this is completely inspired by StrawberryMerry's Ulquihime story: _Cruising for Love._ But since the pairing is VERY different, the story will be too. :) I believe this story will be around 19 chapters and it will be updated every Monday! Hope you all enjoy!

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Chapter 1

 _Call today to reserve your spot for a two week cruise!_

Lucy tapped her blue-painted fingernails on the brochure, her head resting in the palm of her other hand as she studied the pamphlet with piqued curiosity. Her body was aching from head to toe, screaming at her to pick up and call. A relaxing vacation was just what the girl needed, especially after the hefty amount of grueling jobs she had taken with Natsu and Happy to make some money after the seven years they had been asleep on Tenrou Island. The only problem was she didn't want to go alone.

Lucy enjoyed having time to herself, it was a necessity. But two weeks' worth of being away from the guild sounded incredibly lonely. However, money was tight for most members of the guild since they had to pay seven years' worth of rent. If it wasn't for her father's surprise gift, the blonde herself would've never been considering to go on a vacation either.

Who would she go with? Cana would probably try to get her drunk most of the time, so that wasn't an option. Lucy would've liked to spend her vacation without a hangover, after all. Mira was on station at the guild, providing food for those that couldn't afford any yet; Levy had left on a week-long job with the rest of Shadow Gear; Erza and Wendy were having financial issues. Gray was out of the question- having Juvia consider her a love rival was bad enough, she didn't need to add more fuel to the fire. All that was left were Natsu and Happy.

Lucy wasn't entirely opposed to the two coming. They were her partners, after all, and were her best friends. The problem was that being around Natsu and Happy, it was hard to imagine the cruise would be relaxing if they were to join. They were two of the rowdiest mages Fairy Tail had to offer, and that was saying something since most of the guild seemed to lack an indoor voice.

It wasn't long until Lucy remembered that her dragon slayer friend had a severe case of motion sickness.

" _I wonder if they have anything to combat that,"_ she thought with a frown. It was beginning to look like her vacation was going to be a mere dream. " _It couldn't hurt to find out."_

Picking up the pamphlet and dialing the small numbers at the bottom right corner, Lucy waited patiently as the phone rang. After three rings, someone picked up.

"Hello, this is Anu of Earthland Cruises speaking. How may I help you?" a kind woman inquired. Her voice was soft and higher pitched, reminding the blonde of a certain ram spirit.

"Hi, my name is Lucy Heartfilia. I was wondering if your cruises have something to help with motion sickness," Lucy answered, straight to the point.

"Most of our cruises do offer mages that can cast a spell over someone to help with their motion sickness. It doesn't last all day, but it is better than nothing. Which cruise are you interested in?"

"The one that departs from Hargeon Port this Friday."

Lucy heard shuffling from the other end until Anu stated, "You're in luck! There are mages stationed on that cruise! Would you like to reserve a spot?"

"Oh, not yet," Lucy answered. "I have to think it over still. Thank you for all of your help!"

"No problem! Call again if you would like to reserve your spot! Have a nice day!"

"You too!"

Lucy hung up and resumed tapping on her desk. It was a good thing the cruise had a way to combat Natsu's motion sickness, but would he want to go in the first place? And if he did, would it be wise to? She did want to relax, after all.

Needing a break away from the pamphlet, Lucy rose from her seat and strolled into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and stripped away her clothing until she was stark naked. When the water was warm enough, the girl entered the shower and let the hot water pelt her skin. Lathering her golden locks with strawberry scented shampoo, she hummed to herself, feeling at peace.

Once she was finished washing up, Lucy stepped out of the shower and dried herself off with a towel before wrapping it around her curvy body. Since she forgot to bring another towel for her hair, the blonde shrugged and left the bathroom to throw on clothes.

Only to find her two partners sitting on her bed, eating her food and making a mess.

"Yo, Luce!" Natsu greeted with a mouth full of food. "Took you long enough!"

"Aye! She always takes forever showering!" Happy added.

A vein ticked in Lucy's forehead as her hands formed tight fists. Without a moment's hesitation, the girl jumped in the air to deliver a nasty kick. Unfortunately for her, Natsu was faster and expected her to react in such a way.

"That won't work on me again!" he exclaimed with a mischievous grin as he grabbed Lucy's ankle and held her upside down.

Lucy squealed as the towel that was wrapped around her body began to loosen and threatened to fall.

"Put me down already, Natsu!" she ordered.

The boy cackled and obliged, only to be slapped across the face a second later by a red-faced Lucy.

"Oi, what was that for!?" the pinkette demanded.

"For barging into my apartment again!" Lucy answered, narrowing her eyes at him. "How many times do I have to tell you not to come here without my permission? You pervert!"

"Oi! I ain't a pervert, Gray is! And if it was really a big deal you would've locked the window!"

"I shouldn't have to! Only you and Happy are idiotic enough to fly through the window without asking!"

"Yeah, yeah," Natsu shrugged nonchalantly. "We just wanted to hang out."

"No, you just wanted my food," Lucy replied, crossing her arms. At Natsu's sheepish grin, she sighed. "Whatever. I'm going to go get dressed. I'll be right back."

With a tired sigh, Lucy shut the bathroom door behind her after grabbing some clothes from her dresser. Her body was still aching from their jobs, so even the simple task of throwing clothes on was proving to be a struggle.

" _I really need a vacation,"_ the girl thought, reminded of what she was doing before her shower.

After getting dressed, she headed back outside where her friends were waiting, a hairbrush in her hand. She sat at her desk while Natsu and Happy sat on the bed. Lifting her arm to brush her hair, she winced and inhaled sharply.

"Your arms are that sore?" Happy questioned.

"Yeah," the blonde answered. "We did a lot of lifting on our last job. My body is just really tired." Handing the hairbrush to Natsu, she asked, "Can you brush my hair for me?"

The boy shrugged and accepted the brush. He rarely brushed his own hair, not caring about how he looked. Occasionally Lucy or Erza would make him brush through it for a fancier type of job, but other than that, he left his pink locks untamed.

Natsu dragged the bristles from the top of Lucy's head towards the ends of her hair, only to be caught on a knot halfway through. The blonde's head yanked backwards at the sudden tangle.

"Be careful, Natsu!" she chided. "Start from the bottom, then work your way up!"

"That'll take forever," the said boy groaned. Still, he followed the girl's order and started from the tips of her hair. He lightly worked his way up, trying his hardest not to hurt his partner. He didn't like seeing her in pain, no matter how slight it may be.

Despite what everyone at the guild had said, Natsu wasn't as dense as they believed. He had long suspected that his feelings for a certain celestial mage ran deeper than friendship. Of course, he hadn't acted on his feelings, not wanting to ruin their friendship. The boy was content with what they had already and didn't see a need to change it.

But that didn't stop the way his heart felt lighter simply from brushing through her hair.

Lucy smiled at the boy appreciatively as she placed the hairbrush onto her desk. Her chocolate brown eyes landed on the pamphlet, reminding her of her predicament. With a deep sigh, she abandoned all doubts and grabbed the cruise pamphlet before turning back towards her partners.

"We should go on a vacation," Lucy stated, handing them the brochure. "And I think a cruise sounds fun. What do you think?"

Immediately, Natsu slouched in bed while his face grew pale and dotted with sweat.

"That's cruel, Lucy," he replied, his voice gurgled. "Don't bring up transportation around me."

"But they'll have mages stationed that can help with that!" the blonde persisted. "What do you think, Happy?"

The said exceed glanced up towards his peeled-over partner. He had long since known about Natsu's feelings towards their third musketeer. Hell, he knew about them before Natsu himself did. This would've been the perfect opportunity to make something happen between the two.

Happy grabbed the pamphlet and studied it. A cruise did sound fun, but so did staying at the guild and talking to Charle. If staying behind gave his best friend a chance to act on his feelings, he would do it.

Happy removed the sticker that kept the pamphlet folded up to read more information about the cruise. Immediately his eyes widened, a mischievous grin plastered to his face. Luckily for him, Lucy was paying close attention to Natsu to notice. Folding up the brochure and putting the sticker back onto it, Happy shoved it into his knapsack without being noticed.

"I'll pass," the cat stated. "I want to stay here!"

"Really?" Lucy asked with a frown. "Did it not sound like fun?"

"I'm a cat! I don't like water!" Happy lied.

The blonde arched a brow. "Since when? You've been on boats before. And you've gone swimming."

"That's different! Anyways, I'm going back to the guild to see Charle! Bye!"

With that, wings sprouted from Happy's back and he flew out the window without sparing the two another glance.

Lucy's brow was still raised in confusion. She wasn't expecting that at all. Glancing back at her other partner, the girl released a heavy sigh.

"I guess I don't really need a vacation. Saving money would be smart anyways."

Minutes passed by between the two without either of them saying a word. Once Natsu's stomach settled, he picked himself up to study Lucy. Her pink lips were tugged into a frown as she worked on her newest story, one that he hadn't been able to sneak a peek at yet.

Natsu prided himself in the fact that he knew Lucy better than anyone else. It was because of this that he noticed her rather glum behavior since they returned from Tenrou Island. It wasn't like he could blame her, however. With the passing of her father, it was no doubt that she would be upset, despite their distant and fragile relationship. There was also the fact that her body definitely needed a break.

And it wasn't hard to tell she was really looking forward to the cruise.

"Alright, I'll go on the c-cruise with you," Natsu relented with a sigh, his stomach churning at the thought of being on a boat. He was skeptical of riding a boat without Wendy there to cast Troia on him. Still, if it meant making Lucy happy, he would strap himself onto a boat for the rest of his life if he had to.

Lucy whipped her head towards the pinkette, her eyes sparkling with delight. "You will?"

"Sure, why not? Sounds like fun!"

"You're a terrible liar. It's fine, Natsu. I can just go some other time-"

The said boy cut her off as he grabbed her phone and placed it in her hand.

"Just call them already!" he ushered. "You know you wanna go, so just reserve it!"

Lucy smiled gratefully and nodded, glad that she had a friend to go with. Though Natsu was irrational and brash at times, he truly was an amazing friend.

Lucy glanced around for the pamphlet, only to come up short.

"It looks like Happy accidentally took it with him," she stated. "Good thing I have them in my recent calls."

The blonde swung her legs back and forth giddily with a smile planted on her face as the phone rang. She nearly squealed with excitement when someone answered.

"Hello, this is Anu of Earthland Cruises speaking. How may I help you?" the same woman from before questioned.

"Hi! This is Lucy Heartfilia again, I called earlier!" she replied. "I'm here to reserve a room for the cruise!"

"Oh, yes!" Anu replied in recognition. "The one that departs from Hargeon, correct?"

"Yep!"

"Can I get your full names again?"

Lucy arched a brow. She hadn't told Anu that another person would be joining her. " _Maybe it's just rare for someone to go by themselves."_

Glancing towards her partner, the blonde grinned as she stated, "It will be me, Lucy Heartfilia, and Natsu Dragneel."

"Oh! You're the first one that has reserved a spot that has kept their last name!" Anu exclaimed. Before the confused Lucy could question her, she continued, "Alright, I have you book for room 202! You can pick up your tickets at our office in Hargeon!"

"Oh, okay," Lucy replied, forgetting about Anu's strange remark. She was going on a cruise! "Thank you!"

"No problem! Have a great day!"

"You too!"

Lucy hung up the phone and gave an excited squeal. Grabbing Natsu's hands, she shook them feverously and grinned.

"Thank you so much, Natsu!" she exclaimed. "This'll be fun, I promise!"

Natsu hid his face behind his scarf after feeling a familiar rush of heat travel to his face. It always happened around Lucy. It didn't take him long to figure out what it meant.

"Y-Yeah," the pinkette stammered. Watching Lucy bounce around her apartment absolutely overjoyed, he couldn't help but grin as well. Her happiness always brought a smile to his face and he was proud to be the one that caused it. "Yosh! I'm all fired up!"

"We should probably tell everyone at the guild. We don't want them to think we just disappeared for two weeks."

"Two weeks? That's a long cruise."

"That's how long they usually last I think. Anyways, let's go!"

The two traveled through the well-lit streets of Magnolia, a skip in their steps. With their excited steps, it didn't take them long to reach the guild. Throwing open the grand doors, the two went straight towards the bar.

"Hi, Lucy! Natsu!" Mira greeted cheerfully. Noticing the smile glued to the blonde's face, she continued, "You two seem happy about something!"

Lucy nodded and sat beside Erza, who was munching on a piece of strawberry shortcake. Natsu stood directly next to her, his body heat rolling onto her.

"That's because we're going on a cruise this Friday!" the blonde informed her.

Cana immediately paused from drinking booze straight out of her signature barrel to gape at the two. "Wait, wait, wait. _You two_ are going on a cruise together?"

Lucy's cheeks colored, knowing exactly what the brunette was insinuating. "It's not weird… We're partners and all…"

"Are there going to be two beds?" Erza inquired.

"U-Umm, I actually forgot to ask. I'm sure she booked us in a room with two beds, though! She knew that there's going to be two of us!"

"I suppose that makes sense. How long is the cruise? Should Gray and I wait for you two to return before accepting any jobs?"

"Nope! We'll be gone for two weeks!"

Gray came to stand on the other side of Lucy, leaning against her and propping his arm over her head, ignoring Natsu's eyes drilling holes into him.

"You sure you wanna be on a trip with Natsu for that long?" he asked. "He's just gonna get on your nerves, you know."

"Shut it, Ice Prick!" Natsu shot back.

Lucy sighed and shook her head. "We'll be fine. I just really need a vacation."

Before long, everyone moved on from the two's cruise and resumed doing their own things. Lucy spent every second she could with her friends, a little upset she wouldn't be able to see them for two weeks. Still, she was looking forward to their cruise.

When it got late, Lucy rose from her signature stool at the bar and headed towards the bar.

"Natsu! Make sure to get packing, we leave the day after tomorrow!" she instructed. "Night, everyone! We'll stop by tomorrow to say bye before we leave!"

"Night, Lucy!" everyone replied, waving after her.

Lucy walked back to her apartment, balancing on the edge of the canal. She couldn't stop thinking about her planned cruise.

" _There's bound to be masseuses and spas and pools!"_

And while the cruise did offer those things, Lucy was still in for a shock of what else the cruise had to offer.

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 **AN:** Lol let me know what you think in the reviews! Hope it was good for a first chapter! :D


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** Bad news, everyone. So the laptop that I use to write this story is broken at the moment (the screen stops working after I log in). I only have this chapter on FF, so I need to get my laptop fixed before I can post the later chapters. If it can't be fixed, then I can't update. I could rewrite everything from memory for this story since I don't have 30+ chapters written already like my other story, but will only do that if people continue to review. My motivation to write will be gone if my laptop is actually broken and reviews will be all the motivation I have to keep me writing lmao. (Tbh I'm more sad about my story Fairy Tail because I wrote 60+ chapters for that story and it might've been for nothing lmao.) Anyways, there's that. I hope to get it fixed before Monday next week so I'll let you know the fate of this story lol.

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Chapter 2

Lucy threw the pink pleated skirt onto the heaping pile of other discarded clothes on the floor, breathing a heavy sigh of discontent. A mountain of fabric was forming in her room, and it was all thanks to the cruise she had scheduled for the next day. With excitement coursing through her veins, the blonde was eagerly packing her things for the next two weeks. Packing clothes, however, was always a struggle for the girl.

Being a girl with a love for clothes, Lucy tended to over pack and bring things that she never touched on her time away. She knew this, and yet she couldn't stop. Thus, throwing in yet another pair of pants in her suitcase, the blonde grinned. She was just about ready, all that was left was her bathroom essentials, which she would pack the next day.

After eventually shutting her suitcase- which she did by sitting on it and zipping it up while throwing curse words- Lucy began to get ready for the day. She changed into a black mini skirt and a simple pink tank top. Not wanting to strain her feet before her vacation, she paired it with black sandals. With that, she was ready to go.

As Lucy balanced on the edge of the canal and walked towards the guild, she pulled out a silver key. With a swish of her hand, Plue appeared in a golden light. To her surprise, however, Loke stood right beside the much smaller spirit, his lips curled upwards into a slight smirk.

"It must be my lucky day, being summoned by a beautiful Princess and all," Loke flirted smoothly. He grabbed the girl's hand and pulled it towards his lips in order to give it a light kiss, only to have her pull away.

"I didn't summon you," Lucy said with a sigh, smiling at Plue.

The leader of the zodiac chuckled and replied, "I guess that's true."

"So why are you here anyway? I know it's not just to flirt."

"Figured I would go see the guild. It's been a while since I saw any of them and we weren't fighting someone."

Lucy laughed and replied, "That's true. Fairy Tail always seems to be in some sort of trouble. I'm going to be getting away from all of the trouble, though!"

"Oh really?" Loke asked with a raised brow.

A smile etched itself onto Lucy's face as she nodded. "Yep! I'm going on a cruise starting tomorrow! Which reminds me, I won't be doing much summoning while I'm there. I'm actually pretty sure it isn't allowed considering they have a maximum occupancy."

"That makes sense. Just try to enjoy yourself. You deserve it."

"Thanks. It'll be my first vacation in years. Though, I'm not sure I can really call it that since Natsu is coming too."

Loke stopped in his tracks and gaped at the blonde. "What? Natsu is going with you?"

Lucy's cheeks pinked and she replied, "I-It's not a big deal. We'll have separate beds and everything. We're just sharing a room, which we've done before."

"Is Happy going?"

"Well, no…"

Loke studied his master, noticing how embarrassed she was. Just like everyone else in the guild, the spirit wasn't blind towards Lucy's feelings towards a certain dragon slayer. Only she herself was, and maybe the dragon slayer himself. There had been plenty of times in which he had tried to egg her on, dropping hints to get her to realize her feelings. But he always came up short. She needed to figure things out herself.

Maybe this cruise would give her the opportunity to do so.

"Just have fun and relax," Loke advised, ruffling the girl's hair.

Lucy pouted and smoothed her golden hair back into place. With that, the three headed towards the guild.

* * *

Natsu frowned and narrowed his eyes as he bit rougly into his chicken, his gaze never wavering form Lucy's form as she entered the guild along with Loke. The boy knew that his anger towards the spirit was irrational. Loke was a good guy, one that Natsu could trust Lucy with.

But that didn't mean he couldn't get jealous.

"Cool it, Ash Breath, they're just walking in together," Gray jibed with a heavy and all too knowing smirk. It wasn't hard to notice the pinkette's jealousy. He could practically feel it in the air. How Lucy didn't notice, he would never know.

"Shut it," Natsu replied tersely.

Lucy's eyes glazed over the guild, looking for a certain pink-headed partner of hers. Spotting him at the bar with Gray and Erza, the blonde grinned and rushed towards them.

"Hi, everyone!" she greeted, sliding into her seat.

"Hey, Lucy," Gray replied with a friendly smile.

"You got here late today," Erza pointed out.

"Yeah, I was packing my things for tomorrow," Lucy informed them. She then looked towards Natsu sternly and questioned, "Did you start packing yet?"

The boy chuckled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Not yet."

"Natsu! We leave tomorrow!"

"Yeah, yeah! I got plenty of time!"

Lucy sighed and shook her head, not bothering to argue any further on the matter. Sooner or later, Natsu would start packing, she knew he would. He would probably forget stuff, but at least he would get it done.

Lucy looked among her fellow guild members, a fond smile gracing her lips. Two weeks was going to be a long time, but at least she would have Natsu with her. Despite his reckless personality, he was her best friend and her favorite person to be around. He would surely make the trip more fun.

After all, things were always more fun when they were together.

* * *

When the moon replaced the sun in the sky, Lucy took that as her cue to head out.

"C'mon, Natsu. We should start packing your stuff," she stated, tugging on the said boy's scarf.

The pinkette frowned and replied, "We can do that later! We have plenty of time!"

"Our train leaves at seven in the morning and we have to check in. Knowing you, you'll save it until tomorrow morning and then throw useless junk in your suitcase. Let's just do it now."

Natsu pouted and crossed his arms grumpily but rose from his spot at the bar anyways. Turning towards Happy, who was with the other exceeds of Fairy Tail, he waved him over.

"Oi, Happy! We're heading out now, wanna come?" he asked.

The cat shook his head, for he had something else to do at the guild which involved the two's absence. "No, I'll stay here. I'll come back later!"

Natsu shrugged and nodded, turning back to Lucy, who was being engulfed in a tight hug thanks to Mira. Erza and Gray chuckled on the sidelines as Lucy tried to tell Mira that she couldn't breathe.

"Make sure you have lots of fun!" the take-over mage instructed. "And take lots of pictures too!"

"I will, I will," Lucy assured, pulling away from the hug. Not even a moment later, however, her head was bashed against Erza's chest plate in what was supposed to be a warm embrace. So first she was choked by Mira, then nearly given a concussion by Erza. What was next?

"Be safe," Erza ordered strictly. "And make sure to keep Natsu in check."

"Oi! I don't need her to keep me in check!" the pinkette protested.

Erza sighed and shook her head. "Yes you do. Have fun, Natsu. But don't you dare do anything stupid." The threatening gleam in her eyes had Natsu nodding his head at the speed of light.

Lucy and Gray laughed at the scene before turning towards each other with a smile.

"Have fun, Lucy," Gray stated, ruffling the blonde's hair. She pouted, though it was better than what she received from Mira and Erza.

"I will," the blonde replied. The two hugged, ignoring the faint whispers of _love rival_ from the other side of the guild. Pulling away, the girl smiled at the entirety of the guild. "So long, everyone! We'll see you all in two weeks!"

"Bring souvenirs," Cana said, taking a swig of whiskey.

With that, Lucy and Natsu headed out of the guild and towards the latter's cottage. The girl felt tears pricking her eyes from her goodbye with the guild and she mentally cursed herself.

" _Two weeks isn't even that long,"_ she mentally reminded herself.

With their bodies basking in moonlight, the two walked in a serene silence. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable, just quiet. Nobody was out on the streets and most of the lights were dimmed. The stars twinkled in the dark sky. Everything was just perfect.

Until Lucy reached Natsu's house and saw what a pigsty it was.

Trash littered the floor and dirty dishes piled up in the sink. The smell of fish hit her like a brick as she entered the small home, nearly causing her to throw up. How the hell could someone live in a place like that?

"Natsu!" Lucy screeched, her eyes narrowing in annoyance. "You really need to take better care of your place!"

The boy covered his ears with his hands and glared back at her. "It's fine! You get used to the smell and I know where everything is!"

"That doesn't matter! C'mon, we're going to clean before we pack your things."

"But Lucy-"

"No buts. I'm not going to let you leave here with a disgusting home to come back to. You take the kitchen and I'll take the bedroom."

Natsu muttered under his breath but obliged, knowing that the blonde could be just as bit of scary as Erza if she was provoked enough. Starting with the living room, he picked up the trash, grimacing as he found Happy's stash of fish, most of which being rotten.

" _This is gonna take a while,"_ he thought.

Lucy face palmed as she stepped into Natsu's room. Aside from on top of the hammock, there was no clean space whatsoever. Starting with the pile of dirty clothes, she threw them into the hamper- one that she had purchased, by the way, after coming to Natsu's house and finding out that he simply left his clothes on the floor forever.

It was much better once she finished with the clothes. Next was the trash. She nearly threw up twice picking up the garbage, some of which she couldn't even identify. Two showers were in order after this whole ordeal.

As Lucy tidied up the room, her eyes glazed over a wrinkled piece of paper in the corner of the room. Not wanting to throw it away in case it was important, the girl straightened the sheet and studied it. Her lips curled upwards into a warm smile, her body feeling warm and light. It was the job flier from their most recent mission.

Natsu liked to keep every memento of their jobs, and it warmed her heart to no end. Just knowing that he treasured the time they spent together just as she did made her feel wanted. Like she wasn't some burden.

Putting the memento gently onto the hammock so Natsu could find a proper place for it later, Lucy finished cleaning the rest of Natsu's room before going out to help him. An approving grin appeared on her face noticing how much cleaner it was.

"Good job, Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed. "This looks much better!"

"Yeah, whatever," the boy replied, cleaning the last of the dishes. "We done yet?"

"Fine, fine. Wanna start packing then?"

Natsu nodded, following Lucy back into his bedroom. His eyes glazed over her body, stopping over her bum. He felt guilty looking at her in such a way, so he brought his gaze back onto her shoulders, wondering what she would think if she knew how he looked at her.

The two sat on the floor, Natsu's suitcase between them.

"Alright, so you'll definitely need swim trunks," Lucy stated. "Do you have any?"

"Yeah," Natsu answered with a nod. He retrieved the black swim trunks with orange flames at the bottom and threw them into the suitcase.

Lucy sighed and picked them up in order to neatly fold them before putting them back in the suitcase. "If you fold them, you can put more stuff in it."

Natsu shrugged. "I don't have anything else to pack other than food."

"What? What about a change of clothes?"

"Don't need it."

Lucy sighed and shook her head, not wanting to argue with the boy. Instead, she grabbed the few articles of clothing she could find and packed them away.

"You can't bring food," Lucy stated.

Natsu's eyes widened and his jaw slacked. "What the hell? You can't bring food on a cruise?"

"Nope. Meals are included in the costs of the room. But you can't bring outside food."

"That's terrible! Are you sure you really wanna go on this thing, Lucy?"

"Yes, I do. And you already agreed to come with me so you can't back out now!"

Natsu crossed his arms and muttered under his breath. So far, this cruise thing wasn't sounding too fun. But unbeknownst to him at the time, those two weeks were going to be some of the best- and worst- days of his life.

* * *

"It sucks Lucy isn't gonna be here for a while," Cana stated, clutching her barrel of booze to her chest.

Happy's ears perked up at the brunette's words.

"Who am I gonna mess with now?" Cana asked.

Mira giggled and answered, "You could mess with Gray."

"No," the ice-make mage chimed in.

Erza paused from eating her cake and added, "I can't believe those two are going on a cruise and don't see how romantic it is."

Happy took that as his cue to join in. Snickering behind his paw, he flew onto the countertop in front of everyone, gaining their attention.

"Don't worry, they will," he stated with a mischievous cackle.

Everyone in the guild paused what they were doing and shared a quick glance before looking back to the cat and beckoning him to continue.

"Get this, everyone!" Happy exclaimed, nearly bursting with laughter then and there. "The cruise they're going on is for married couples!"

"M-Married couples!?" Erza asked in bewilderment and with rosy cheeks. "A-Are you saying that Natsu and Lucy have been m-married this whole time!?"

Happy shook his head. "Lucy didn't read all of the pamphlet! Inside it says that the cruise is for married couples only!" Reaching into his knapsack, he pulled out the slightly crinkled brochure and held it out for everyone to see.

Gray snatched it out of the exceed's hand and allowed everyone to circle around him to inspect it. Sure enough, when he opened the pamphlet, the words were printed in a small font at the bottom of the paper.

"Wait a second," Gray stated with wide eyes. "Are you telling me that Natsu and Lucy are on a-"

"A COUPLES' CRUISE!" Mira squealed at the top of her lungs.

Cana bent forward, clutching her stomach as she burst with laughter. "How the hell could or Lucy make a mistake like that?"

"Should we stop them?" Erza suggested.

"No!" Happy answered. "This is the perfect chance to get them together!"

"There's no way this is gonna work," Gray added.

Cana raised a brow. "Oho. That sounds like a bet in the making. I think Happy's onto something. I'm guessing those two are gonna come back with a baby in the oven."

"I wouldn't go that far, but I do see them realizing their feelings," Mira stated, her blue eyes twinkling with excitement.

"I agree. There's no way they wouldn't," Erza added.

Gray scoffed and crossed his arms over his naked chest. "It's not gonna happen. There's no way Flame Brain is gonna be able to confess."

"Why don't you put your money where your mouth is," Cana suggested with a heavy smirk.

"Fine, I will!"

The two shook hands and with that, everyone at the guild was joining in. Cana along with the rest of the girls and Happy betted that the two would come back as a couple while Gray and the other boys argued they wouldn't.

But they wouldn't find out who would win for another two weeks.

* * *

 **AN:** THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR ALL OF THE REVIEWS HOLY CRAP. I was so surprised tbh. It was the most reviews I've ever gotten for the first chapter of a story! Because there were enough reviews, here's a sneak peek of the next chapter that I hope to post next week lol:

 _The two shared an excited grin before racing each other towards the line, which was short considering they were early. As they stood in the quickly growing line, Lucy took the time to look at the other passengers. To her surprise, all of them were couples of varying ages, each touching in some intimate way, whether it be by interlockedIt hands or an arm wrapped around their significant other's waist._

I got so many awesome reviews last chapter, I wasn't expecting it! It was the most reviews I ever gotten for the first chapter of a story! Thank you so much to my lovely reviewers: **ThatOneFriend-3, AfroGaming, HollyDragneel, SakuraMoon2016, Alexa60765, Dragneel562, Guest, Fairytailnumber1Anime, Dinoadge, Cher, IronicMelody23, Soul Eater Maka, Barbatos lupus, Nalulove, Xtreaer, Hsdust, valnamoon, MakeDreamsComeTrue, SAVE-OUR-SHIPS21, turtle3334, Jakob Silverheart, FlameDragonHime, Guest, crazydaisy-in-tha-house, LITTLE MISS VAMPIRE NERD, Grandeeney Marvell, samiraahmed12, Lunahartz, mikaerotica11, Flire and Ice, Guest, Abby-Flourite, HolyChihuahua, yorokobi-quintrell.** You guys seriously made my week lol. If I missed anyone, I'm sorry! Apparently FF is having some problems at the moment, though I don't know what they are haha!


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** Good news! I got a new laptop and I have all my files! I can continue this story! :D

* * *

Chapter 3

Birds chirped loudly as the sun rose in the sky, its rays cracking through the blinds over Lucy's window and washing over her sleeping body. At first the girl rolled over, attempting to ignore the bright sunlight. But after remembering her plans for the day, she sat up at in speed of light with a wide grin stretched over her face.

Hopping out of bed, Lucy rushed into her bathroom and took what was to be her last shower in her apartment for two whole weeks. She hoped the cruise's showerhead had a harsher stream. She liked the feeling of water pelting her skin in the morning.

Once finished with that, Lucy began to get dressed. Wanting to look nice on their first day, the blonde grinned as she slipped into an orange sundress, one of its sides slit to reveal a slender, creamy leg. Summoning Cancer, the girl waited patiently for the crab spirit to finish with her hair.

"It's done, ebi," he said after a few minutes.

Lucy held up a mirror and smiled seeing her golden locks braided into two pigtails, some left down to frame her face. Her bangs swooped to the side and were pinned with a red hibiscus flower pin.

"This looks great, Cancer!" the blonde gushed, marveling at her hair. "Thanks!"

"I'm glad you like it, ebi," the spirit replied. "Is that all you will be needing?"

"Yep! Thanks again! I'll see you and the rest of the spirits in two weeks, alright?"

"Yes. Enjoy your cruise, ebi."

Giving one last wave, Lucy closed Cancer's gate. She grabbed the handle to her rolling suitcase and said goodbye to her apartment before leaving towards Natsu's cottage, where they were meeting up so she could say goodbye to Happy.

The streets were barren as it was still in the early hours of the day. The train ride to Hargeon was going to take an hour, then they were to check in before boarding the ship. Lucy practically skipped with each step, her excitement bubbling within her. Finally her aching body was going to have the break it deserved!

Reaching Natsu's house, Lucy wasn't surprised to have the door thrown open before she even knocked. Natsu's sense of smell was extraordinary, after all.

"Yo, Lucy!" the dragon slayer himself greeted. "You ready to go?"

The blonde nodded with a smile. "You seem more excited now than you were before."

"Wendy just dropped by to use Troia on me before our ride to Hargeon so I feel good!" the pinkette informed her.

"That's great!" All that was left was to say goodbye to Happy, who was snoozing away on the couch. Approaching the exceed, she shook him gently to wake him up.

Happy's eyes slowly opened and blinked in recognition seeing the blonde. "Lucy. Are you here to say bye?"

Lucy nodded and smiled at the exceed. Despite how annoying and borderline rude he could get sometimes, he was one of her best friends. "I'll see you in two weeks, alright?"

Happy rubbed his eyes and flew to give the blonde a hug. Natsu smiled at the scene. He loved the two's relationship, it was nearly as close as his with Lucy's. Patting the cat's head, Natsu grinned.

"We'll be back soon, Happy!" he promised.

The cat nodded and waved. "Have fun." Then he dozed back to sleep.

Lucy and Natsu shared a look before leaving the small house together, on the way to Hargeon.

Natsu was glad that his stomach didn't churn at all thanks to Troia, even when they boarded the train. They sat beside each other, ready for their short ride to Hargeon. It was quiet and nearly empty in the train, and soon enough, Lucy's eyes began to feel heavy.

Leaning her head on Natsu's shoulder, she allowed her eyes to shut closed, not noticing the way Natsu's body stiffened or the way his cheeks pinked. Natsu glanced down at the blonde, chuckling softly to himself after seeing a dopy smile on her face as she dozed into sleep. He had seen her sleeping countless of times, and he came to know that the dopy smile on her face meant she was having a good dream.

Letting his head rest on Lucy's, he allowed himself to relish in the small moment between them. Before Lucy came around, the boy never saw the fascination with romantic, mushy stuff. But after growing closer and realizing there was no way he could ever go a day without seeing her, he discovered his feelings for the blonde went deeper than mere friendship. Since then, he had found himself curious about things he dismissed as uninteresting before. He was curious to know if her lips were as soft as they looked, or if her hands fit in his like how Bisca's hand fit in Alzack's.

Luckily for him, his dreams allowed him to imagine it.

* * *

An hour later, Lucy's eyes fluttered open to the sound of a bell signaling their arrival. Lifting her head, the blonde found that she had been snoozing away on Natsu's shoulder, and that he was still sleeping peacefully. A faint shade of pink coated her cheeks, realizing how they must've looked.

It wasn't the first time that they had slept next to each other in the slightest. Still, it brought a strange warmth through her body.

Gently nudging Natsu awake, Lucy smiled as he slowly opened his eyes with an adorable yawn.

" _He's pretty cute,"_ Lucy noted with a smile. Her eyes then fell towards his exposed torso and blushed madly. " _And I guess he's got a good body."_

With surprising reluctance, Lucy tore her gaze away from Natsu's chiseled abs and retrieved her belongings, leading the way out of the train.

The fresh scent of the beach hit them like a brick and the gentle breeze washed over them. Lucy smiled nostalgically. Hargeon was the place she first met Natsu, when he saved her from Bora's charm magic. She figured her partner didn't remember such a small detail.

" _But then again, he does keep a lot of mementos."_

"So where do we go now?" Natsu asked, standing beside her.

"The Earthland Cruise's Hargeon office. We pay for our tickets there," Lucy answered as she began the walk there.

The office was small but the interior was nice with marble tiles and crystalline chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Regal chairs and desks furnished the center of the room while abstract paintings hung to the wall. Overall, it was an elegant building, which was why the teenage boy at the front desk was out of place.

The boy had dusty blonde hair and brown, dull eyes that only lit up after seeing Lucy approach him. He shamelessly ogled her curvaceous figure.

Natsu felt fire lick his palms as the urge to punch the boy grew strong. Knowing that Lucy would get mad at him, however, he settled for glaring menacingly from behind the girl and holding a flaming fist in the air to get the point across. The boy paled and immediately brought his gaze strictly into Lucy's eyes as she smiled politely and unknowingly at him.

"What can I do for you?" the boy asked, leaning back in the seat lazily. His bored persona returned after his view of the hot blonde was ruined.

"Hi, my name is Lucy Heartfilia and I'm here to pick up and pay for our tickets for the cruise that departs in an hour," she answered. Her heart crushed after being told the price but paid anyways.

The boy looked over the two then shrugged, accepting the money and handing them their tickets. "Have fun."

"Thanks!"

The two exited the building and onto the paved streets of Hargeon.

"Why did we come here so early if the ship leaves in another hour?" Natsu questioned with his arms crossed behind his head.

"So that we can scope out all the stuff they have and check in. We can unpack in our room early too," Lucy answered, heading towards the ship.

When the two arrived at the port, their jaws dropped as they took in the sight of a large ship, much bigger than the other boats around it. It was a pristine white with the company's name in between two palm trees printed on the back.

The two shared an excited grin before racing each other towards the line, which was short considering they were early. As they stood in the quickly moving line, Lucy took the time to look at the other passengers. To her surprise, all of them were couples of varying ages, each touching in some intimate way, whether it be by interlocked hands or an arm wrapped around their significant other's waist.

" _I'm surprised there aren't any families here,"_ Lucy thought. " _They're all couples. But I guess we're early, so there's bound to be others coming."_

As they reached the entrance to the ship, Lucy and Natsu stopped in front of an attendant, next to whom stood two security guards. Handing the attendant their tickets, the two waited patiently to be let in.

The woman accepted the tickets and studied them before handing them back to the two. She smiled and exclaimed, "You two are a cute couple! Newlyweds, I presume?"

Lucy blushed from head to toe as she shook her head frantically and replied, "N-No! We're just-"

The attendant was then tapped on the shoulder by a coworker.

"It's time for your break," he stated.

The woman nodded and turned back to Lucy and Natsu. "Enjoy your time here!" She then headed towards an employee's only room. The security guards ushered the two to board the ship, which they then did, going to the line to the front desk.

This line went just as fast and soon enough, Lucy and Natsu were handed a key to their room.

The woman at the front desk smiled at them. "Your room is 202, located on the second floor!"

"Can I ask where the mages to help with motion sickness are stationed?" Lucy questioned.

"Oh, are you motion sick?"

"Right now he's feeling fine, but it'll come later."

"I see. Well you can just come here when it starts acting up!"

"Great! Thanks!"

With that settled, the two walked towards the stairs, which had multiple signs pointing to. Lucy was glad that their room was on the second floor, not too high up to involve a lot of stairs, but not on the floor in which all of the activities were held, where it was sure to be loud.

Finding their room, the two shared a grin before unlocking the door. Upon stepping into the room, their jaws dropped to the carpeted floor. The room was extravagant with marble countertops, a sofa and a mahogany desk paired with a matching chair. The regality of the room wasn't what shocked them, however. What shocked them was the single bed.

The keyword being _single._

The bed was just as extravagant as the rest of the room if not more with thick eggshell comforters, five pillows, and even a bed skirt. With the price they paid for the room, however, Lucy expected the bed to be nice. It was the two towel-swans with their necks forming hearts and the romantic rose petals scattered on the bed that surprised them.

"I-I think there's been a mistake," Lucy stammered with widened eyes. Her cheeks were blazing at what the bed was insinuating. "Are you sure this is room 202?"

Natsu double checked the door and nodded. "Yep, this is it."

"Oh. M-Maybe they do this for all of the rooms."

Natsu shrugged, not caring either way. He didn't mind it at all; it was just a couple of swans and petals. As long as the bed was comfortable, he didn't care what was on it.

There was a sudden knock on the door, which had been left open due to the two's shock of the bed. Turning around, they found a male attendant in a florescent orange life-jacket.

"There will be a meeting on safety measures in an hour downstairs," the man stated. "It is mandatory, so I would unpack now and then head down."

"Oh, okay," Lucy replied. When the man left with a nod, the blonde closed their door and breathed a heavy sigh, glancing back at the bed. "There's only one bed."

"Yep," Natsu replied, crossing his arms behind his head.

"What are we going to do about that? Should we get a new room?" Lucy questioned, her cheeks rosy. She was unable to meet Natsu's gaze. She was sure he didn't mind, but did she?

"Nah," he answered nonchalantly. "We're already here and we would have to wait in line again."

"Do you want to take turns each night on who gets the bed then?"

"What? No way. We can both share it."

Lucy didn't think it was possible for her cheeks to get any redder, but it was. "We can't just share."

"Why not? We've done it before," Natsu argued.

"That's only because you sneak in when I'm asleep!"

"Same difference. Point is, we've done it before. And the couch is way too small to sleep on. So unless you wanna take the couch, we're sharing the bed."

Lucy looked between the couch and the bed, weighing her options. On the one hand, the couch was small, just as the boy said. Sleeping would be hard, if it was even possible. On the other hand, there was no way she could willingly share a bed with Natsu, right? He was a guy, didn't that make it wrong?

Deciding to deal with that ordeal at another time, Lucy sighed and grabbed her suitcase. Since they were going to be there for a couple weeks, she wasn't going to leave her clothes in her suitcase and would instead put them in the drawers. Natsu, not having much to unpack, opted for surveying the room some more.

Opening the drawer of the nightstand beside the bed, his face immediately matched his hair after finding an orange box, inside of which being four condoms.

"What are you looking at?" Lucy questioned with a raised brow. Something definitely caught his attention.

The pinkette immediately slammed the drawer shut and faced her with a flushed face. "Nothing."

Lucy narrowed her eyes in suspicion, moving towards him to find out for herself. The boy blocked her path, not wanting to let her see the condoms. To his chagrin, there were times in which the blonde would surprise him with her speed and restrain him with her whip.

This just had to be one of those times.

Before Natsu could wriggle his way out of Lucy's whip, she opened the drawer with a raised brow. In seconds, her face morphed into one of embarrassment, her skin crimson.

"D-Do all cruises supply c-condoms!?" she shrieked.

"Guess so," Natsu replied.

Both of them stood still, staring at the ground while their faces burned. So far, their vacation was giving them more stress than they had before.

* * *

About an hour later found the two heading downstairs where everyone was waiting to begin the safety meeting. Everyone was wearing the neon life-jackets, hurting Lucy's eyes with how vibrant they were. When they reached the deck, the two stood behind the huge crowd, in front of which being the Captain and a few attendants.

As the Captain began the meeting with some boring introduction, Lucy zoned out. She dealt with life-threatening situations all the time, a drowning boat was the least of her concerns. So, she studied the other passengers instead.

And that was when all of the signs hit her like a brick.

Just like before, there were absolutely no children or families. Everyone was holding hands and leaning against each other. They were all couples.

Dread filled the blonde as she waited for the meeting to finish, and when it did, a loud horn blared as the ship began its departure. After being dismissed, Lucy rushed to the front desk, her eyes landing on a stack of pamphlets just like the one she had before.

Natsu ran after Lucy, confused as to why she was in such a hurry. He watched as she read the pamphlet and for some reason, she turned to face him with wide eyes and flushed cheeks.

"Shit," she breathed out. "Natsu. Room, _now."_

Natsu nodded wordlessly and followed her back up the stairs and into the room. Lucy sat on the bed and pinched the skin on the roof of her nose. With a heavy sigh, she reluctantly met Natsu's confused gaze.

"I may have made a mistake," she stated with an awkward chuckle.

"What do you mean?" Natsu asked.

Lucy sighed, pressing her fingertips together as she answered, "Turns out reading all of the pamphlet would've been helpful."

"Lucy, what's wrong?"

"Natsu, we're on a couple's cruise. This cruise is meant specifically for married couples!"

"But we aren't married."

"I know. That's the problem!"

"Why don't we just tell someone then?"

Lucy shook her head and answered, "We can't. We were supposed to show the guy that gave us our tickets our marriage license. He never asked to see it though… Natsu, there's got to be harsh punishments for sneaking onto a cruise. There were security guards and everything."

"So what do you want us to do?"

Lucy averted her gaze and clamped her teeth over her bottom lip. Her blush deepened as she fidgeted in her seat.

"Natsu, let's pretend to be married."

* * *

 **AN:** Looks like everything is falling into place now! Let me know what you guys think in the reviews! :)

Thank you to the awesome reviewers: **Lunahartz, Guest, Edo-Salandria, KittyCrow12, Cher, MasterGildarts, Guest, Dinoadge, turtle3334, voltronic, Abby-Flourite, Milk Maiden, Soul Eater Maka, kmikaberidze26, Nalulove, Alexa60765, CupcakeGoddess22, Blonde Neko-chan, Meow Orbit.** Your reviews made me happy during my hectic week. :')


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** I really enjoy writing this story! Though it is harder because the chapters are really long lol (this one isn't but starting next chapter they are haha.) Hope you guys like it as much as I do! :D

* * *

Chapter 4

"Natsu, let's pretend to be married."

Natsu stood still with his jaw slacked and his arms hanging limply at his sides. There was no way that he had just heard that. There was no way Lucy of all people wanted to pretend they were married. But by the rich pink color of her cheeks and the way her brown orbs avoided eye contact, it was apparent she was serious.

"You want to pretend to be married?" Natsu questioned incredulously. It wasn't that he had a problem with it, rather he wasn't sure he could contain his feelings if they actually had to pretend to be a couple.

Lucy fidgeted and twirled a golden lock around her finger. This was all too embarrassing. How in the world did she overlook something like that?

"It's just that I don't want to get in trouble," the blonde stated.

Natsu studied the girl. It was obvious she was in distress over the whole ordeal. Crossing his arms behind his head, the pinkette gave a fanged grin in hopes of cheering her up.

"It's no big deal," he fibbed. In truth, he knew it was, but he wanted to make Lucy feel better. "This sounds like fun!"

"Like fun?" Lucy repeated, finally bringing her gaze to Natsu's. "How?"

"We can make a game out of it!" the boy answered. "It's like a secret mission! Like we're ninjas!"

Lucy giggled, tucking a golden lock behind her ear, unaware of Natsu's interest in the simple movement.

"I guess that's true," she stated, smiling at the boy. Her cheeks flushed for the umpteenth time that day when she realized they actually had to act like a couple. "You know this means we have to hold hands and stuff, right?"

Natsu shrugged, pretending to be unfazed by the idea. "I've held your hand before like when we run away from people. You've got sweaty hands."

The girl smacked him on the shoulder and shouted, "I do not! It was just because we were running away from people! Anyone would sweat from that!"

"Whatever you say, Lucy! Now c'mon! I wanna go do something fun before Troia finally wears off!"

"What do you want to do today?"

"Let's go swimming!"

"Okay! I'll go change in the bathroom, you can change out here."

Lucy hurriedly grabbed her bikini from the drawers and took it into the bathroom to change. Their situation was a bit awkward, but it wasn't too bad thanks to Natsu. Holding hands wasn't a big deal, right? They could do that easily!

Putting on the bikini top was always a struggle for Lucy, seeing as how her ample chest refused to be caged at times. Eventually getting the stings tied, the girl smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Her white bikini with pink hibiscuses was old, but it still looked great on her.

Leaving the bathroom, Lucy's eyes immediately landed on Natsu and her breath hitched in her throat. Standing in front of her, the boy gave a perfect view of his chiseled abs, which she had seen before but still managed to surprise her. She couldn't help but work her gaze slowly over him. When she got to his face, she blushed immediately. Natsu's scarf was tied over his forehead, laying his bangs flat against him.

 _"He looks really good like that,"_ Lucy thought. Before she could start drooling over her partner, she shook her head and smiled at him. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah!" Natsu answered enthusiastically.

Lucy figured swimming would be his favorite activity on the cruise. He wasn't really the relaxing type, so it made sense he would choose the only active thing on the ship.

The two left the room, making sure to lock the door on the way out. Lucy glanced over at her partner, glad that Troia was still working on him. As they walked, male passengers ogled the blonde. The stares she received from men did not go unnoticed as they filled her with anger. Usually she didn't mind the staring as she knew herself to be an appealing girl, but the fact that these men were on a cruise with their wives and they were checking her out annoyed her.

Her father may not have been the best after her mother's death, but he was a good husband. In Jude's eyes, there was only Layla, and that was how Lucy imagined her future husband to be once they tied the knot. Knowing there were so many married men able to look at other women besides their wives with lustful eyes filled her with resentment.

Without intending to, Lucy glanced upwards to find Natsu's take. After all, Lucy wasn't the only beautiful girl roaming around in a bikini. All around there were women with different body types, all of which being beautiful. Surely he would've noticed.

But alas, when Lucy's gaze landed on Natsu's face, she saw that a fanged grin graced his lips and his eyes were set on only what was in front of him. Either he was really good at pretending to be a loyal husband or he truly didn't care about the other girls because he was too dense. Lucy was willing to bet money on the latter.

Walking on deck, their eyes lit up at the sight of a ginormous pool, which was a bit crowded but had enough paddle space. Around the rectangular pool were an array of lounging seats for sunbathing. On the other side of the pool was a cart stacked with white towels.

Natsu gave Lucy a devilish grin before shouting, "Race you to the pool!" Without giving the girl a second to register what he said, he dashed towards the pool, jumping in with a huge splash and annoying the couples around him. All of the other couples were older, at least in their mid-twenties.

Lucy sighed and shook her head as she leisurely walked to the side of the pool, Natsu waiting and watching her expectantly. Dipping a toe into the water, she grinned feeling that it wasn't too cold. She was about to sit on the edge to submerge herself into the pool before Natsu splashed her with water.

"You gotta jump in!" he told her.

"Natsu, there's other people here," Lucy argued.

"Who cares? It's a pool! C'mon!"

Lucy sighed as she stood up reluctantly. Since she dragged him on the trip, jumping into a pool was the least she could do. With a wide grin settled over her face, the blonde jumped into the clear water.

Since they were in the shallower end of the water, Lucy was able to stand, doing so with a smile. Her bangs were stuck to her forehead as water dripped down her body. Natsu swallowed thickly watching a drop dip between her chest.

"The water feels great!" Lucy exclaimed.

Natsu grinned seeing the smile on his partner's face. She had been glum lately from her father's death, it was good to see her enjoying herself. His lips curled into a mischievous grin, his eyes shining with amusement as he caught the blonde off guard by going behind her and wrapping his arms just underneath her breasts. Cackling at the girl's shocked cries, he hoisted her up and backwards, slamming them both in the water.

Lucy came up from the water and glared at her partner, who was laughing loudly. "Natsu! You jerk!"

"Y-You should've heard yourself!" Natsu teased. His laughter was cut short when water splashed over his face thanks to an irate blonde. Wiping the water from his eyes, he took a step towards her, replying, "Shouldn't have done that, Luce."

Lucy could tell by the look on his face that he was going to do something. "Natsu, don't. Don't you dare. Natsu, stop coming closer! Nat-"

"Take this! Fire Dragon Juvia Attack!" the pinkette shouted, quickly splashing the girl repeatedly. With a smug grin, he finally stopped his attack.

Lucy muttered under her breath as she opened her eyes, glaring at the boy. "Really? Fire Dragon Juvia attack?"

"Yep!"

"You're an idiot."

Though the smile on her face and the light in her eyes betrayed her words. In truth, she was having a great time. Natsu always managed to make her have fun, it was inevitable.

"Alright, everyone!" a loud voice shouted. The two looked towards the edge of the pool to find a woman in a lifeguard vest smiling at everyone. "It's time for the couple's swimming race! If you don't want to participate, I'm going to have to ask you to step out of the pool at this time."

Lucy was about to head for the stairs, as races weren't her cup of tea. Natsu grabbed her wrist, however, and spun her around to face him. His eyes shone with excitement, his lips stretching into a wide grin.

"We gotta do this, Luce!" he exclaimed.

The blonde frowned. "But I'm not a fast swim-"

"I forgot to mention!" the attendant exclaimed. "The winners get an exclusive spa day!"

Lucy's frown immediately turned into an evil grin, one that was rarely ever on her face, as her eyes lit up with greed. She turned towards Natsu, and placed her hands on his bare shoulders.

"Natsu," she began, her voice darker than usual. "We have to win this."

The said boy nodded with a wide grin. He loved seeing Lucy's competitive side and he found it hilarious when it came out due to her greediness.

"Yosh! I'm all fired up!"

About five minutes later, the pool was cleared out. The lifeguard stood at the edge of the pool and began to explain the rules.

"What we're doing is a baton race, but will these shells instead of a baton," she explained. "One of you start on this side of the pool and swim to your partner on the other side. Then that person has to swim back to where your partner came from and deliver the sea shell!"

"Sounds easy!" Natsu exclaimed, punching a flaming fist into the palm of his other hand. "I'm all fired up! Let's start!"

"I like your enthusiasm, but I have to give the rules. First, there will be no pushing, shoving, or attacking of any kind. If we see it, you're disqualified from all further games. Second, there is no magic allowed!"

Natsu frowned. Without magic he would definitely be slower. But at least if there were any mages like Jet or Juvia around, it would be a disadvantage to them as well. With the rules out of the way, Natsu and Lucy got to opposite ends of the pool. The passengers took it upon themselves to separate by gender, so it was the boys that was going to start. Natsu's thumb circled over the small clam shell in his hand, an eager grin settling over his face.

Once the whistle blew, he kicked himself off the wall and headed full speed towards Lucy. Luckily, he was the fastest among the rest of the men, also the most in shape. He assumed none of them were in guilds.

Reaching Lucy in under half a minute, he handed her the shell and watched as she began to swim with all her might towards the side he just came from. Just as she said earlier, she wasn't a fast swimmer.

Lucy bobbed her head above water to catch her breath and glanced behind her to look at everyone else's standing. Despite Natsu reaching her before the other males, her slowness was allowing some of the other girls catch up, particularly the girl beside her, whose red hair flowed behind her.

Lucy began swimming as fast as she could. Chlorine stung her eyes as she opened them to check how close she was to the wall. It was just ten feet in front of her, she was going to win!

Until something wrapped around her ankle and dragged her backwards.

Lucy yelped as her body got pulled behind the redhead that was beside her. To her surprise, the girl's hair extended out and latched onto her ankle to pull her back.

" _That's cheating!"_ Lucy thought. " _But it looks like nobody saw it."_

Not wanting to lose to that girl, Lucy pushed her body to its limits, rushing behind the redhead. Taking a big risk, the blonde reached forward and grabbed the redhead's hair and dragged her back before bobbing out of the water and leaning over the edge of the pool. She panted for air as she held the shell high in the air with pride.

"And we have a winner!" the attendant shouted as she took Lucy's shell. "Good try to everyone that played! And can the winners come out of the pool so we can discuss their reward?"

Lucy turned to find the redheaded girl glaring at her through narrowed eyes. Clad in a red bikini to match her hair, the girl was admittedly pretty as she had all the right curves. Though, her face was a bit scary with her crazy eyes.

"Blondie…" the girl gritted out. "You pulled my hair."

"Only because you cheated in the first place," Lucy retorted, her brows slanting. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to pick up my reward."

Stepping out of the pool, Lucy walked towards Natsu, who glanced over her shoulder protectively at the redhead. He had seen everything that happened and barely restrained himself from sending a fire ball towards the strange girl that dared to use her magic on Lucy.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Oh nothing," Lucy replied with a shrug. "I have it under control."

Natsu smiled at the girl. "That's true." After all, that was one of the things he admired most about her. Her strength was much different than anyone else's at the guild. Her strength was focused more around her resolve. Her magical power was awesome as well. He had never met a celestial mage until she arrived and it intrigued him ever since.

Lucy smiled as she approached the attendant, who mirrored her expression.

"Congratulations on winning!" the woman exclaimed. Handing two slips of paper over to Lucy, she continued, "These passes are for an exclusive treat at our spa! You can use them any day you choose during the cruise, so long as you do it before the spa closes."

"Thanks!" Lucy replied. "This is amazing! Right, Natsu?"

"Yeah," the pinkette answered, though really spas never interested him. Still, any time with Lucy was a fun time.

After swimming for a couple more hours, the two finally exited the pool, drying off by the towel rack. They headed back towards their room, pleasant smiles plastered to their faces, until two attendants were walking towards them.

Lucy panicked, wondering if it was obvious they weren't actually married. After all, shouldn't married couples be all over each other? She wasn't sure what exactly the consequences were for sneaking off into a couples' only cruise, but she was sure a hefty fine would be waiting for her. Acting fast, the blonde slid her palm into Natsu's, intertwining their fingers.

Lucy's face burned crimson and she hoped Natsu wouldn't be able to see her blush. Her heart raced beneath her chest, threatening to pound out of her. Slight confusion swept over the girl. They had held hands before, why was she so nervous and embarrassed now? Was it because they were actually pretending to have feelings for each other while doing it?

Meanwhile, Natsu couldn't help the proud smirk that rested over his face. Of course, he too was blushing, but the fact that he was able to act on his feelings without Lucy actually finding out gave his heart some relief. Her hands were just as soft as he remembered. Though…

"Your hands are sweaty," Natsu teased.

Lucy's blush deepened as she scowled at the boy. "Are not!"

"Are too!" he replied. Taking his hand out of Lucy's hold, he rubbed it on her exposed shoulder instead. "See?"

"Natsu!" the blonde cried, smacking his hand away.

Though if she were being honest with herself, it wasn't because he was wiping her sweat on her. It was because the sensitive skin of her shoulder burned from the innocent contact and caused electricity to jolt through her veins.

" _What is happening to me?"_

When they reached their room, Lucy went straight for the bathroom, insisting that she take her shower first. Not only did she want to rid her hair of the chlorine that drenched it, the girl also needed some time alone, for her body was acting strangely.

" _This is getting to me,"_ the blonde thought, letting the water wash over her. " _It's not like anything happened between us. We were just holding hands. Sheesh."_

Inhaling a deep breath of steamy air, Lucy calmed herself down, letting her hand rest over her chest. Eventually, her heart resumed its normal heartrate. That was when the girl decided to leave the shower.

Grabbing the towel that was much too small for her body- just as most hotel or cruise towels were- Lucy quickly dried her skin so that Natsu could take his shower. Slipping into a pair of lacy black underwear and an oversized, red tee shirt that more resembled a dress, the girl left the bathroom, a trail of steam following her.

"Your turn, Natsu," Lucy stated, combing through her golden locks.

"Nah," the pinkette replied with a shrug as he laid in bed. "I'm good."

"Natsu, go shower."

"No way. I'm comfy."

"Natsu! You're going to get chlorine on the bed! I don't want this room to smell like chlorine so go shower!"

Natsu finally glanced towards Lucy in order to argue with her, only for the words to die in his throat. Lucy had always dressed provocatively, he knew this. The blonde wasn't herself when she wasn't in a miniskirt or a shirt that showed a hefty amount of cleavage. Natsu was used to this, so why was the girl being in an oversized tee shirt any different?

Natsu's eyes roamed over Lucy's body, starting at her slender, creamy legs. He swallowed thickly, allowing his eyes to explore some more, thankful that the blonde was busy brushing through her hair. The tee shirt stopped mere inches down her thighs, being just as long as one of her famed miniskirts. Though the shirt was loose, he could still see the peaks of her breasts, which were hardened from the cold. A familiar twitch from his groin had him rushing out of bed and into the bathroom.

Lucy arched a brow as Natsu slammed the door shut behind him, the shower turning on quickly after. With a shrug, the blonde sat in bed and continued to brush her hair.

* * *

Natsu let out a harsh breath once he finished releasing all of his pent up sexual frustration. Lucy was just being herself and yet here he was getting turned on. She didn't even have to do anything and she was going to be his downfall. How he was going to make it the next two weeks, he wasn't sure.

After finishing his shower, Natsu threw on his clothes and went back into the room, hoping his body wouldn't get excited after seeing Lucy again. Luckily, the blonde was already under the covers, a book in hand.

Lucy closed the book upon seeing Natsu's return and set it on the nightstand beside the bed, averting her eyes with a rosy tinge on her cheeks.

"I decided we can share the bed," she stated. "You'll get one side and I'll get the other."

"Okay," Natsu replied with a shrug.

"We should go to sleep. I want to check out the ship's stores tomorrow."

"Alright. We gotta go swimming too, though."

"Okay, okay." Lucy laid on her side, as close to the edge as possible. "Goodnight, Natsu."

"Night, Luce," Natsu replied.

And both laid there for hours, their faces warm and their hearts thumping wildly. They had slept in the same bed countless of times before, but with a fake relationship, things were different. They could only hope it would get better.

* * *

 **AN:** Lol I'm so worried for when I start writing smut. I've never written smut before and I don't exactly have experience so we'll see how that turns out lmao. Because there were enough reviews, here's a sneak peek:

 _Lucy frowned as she watched the two talk. Unsure as to why, jealousy bubbled in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't like they were really together or anything, but shouldn't Natsu have been trying more? Why the hell was he talking to some random chick so much? They were the ones on the vacation together. He should've been paying attention to her!_

As always, thank you to all of the wonderful reviewers: **CupcakeGoddess22, Guest, Grizzly98, KittyCrow12, mika201, HollyDragneel, Blonde Neko-chan, LoveroftheWord, Lunahartz, sarara1.8, Orion Khan, Soul Eater Maka, Adtrboy0916, Askforem, IronicMelody23, Milk Maiden, Dragneel562, Edo-Salandria, Guest, MasterGildarts, Alexa60765, Voltronic, Abby-Flourite, Guest, Dinoadge, Nalulove, UnicornsLoveNalu, chocolatecatsconfusion, cerealandmilk, turtle3334, Guest.** I've been having a super stressful week but you guys make it better so thank you. :')


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Hello everyone! Just a quick reminder for those that asked, I update this story on Mondays only! I know a lot of you would like faster updates, but once a week isn't too bad. :) These chapters are long so it takes a while to write haha! If I update twice a week, I'll definitely get burnt out with it haha! I also found that people actually review more when they have more time to I guess? So yeah, Mondays will be my update day and unless I suddenly write the rest of the story in the spur of a day, it will stay that way. Hope you guys understand. :)

* * *

Chapter 5

Natsu's eyes blinked open as he woke with a pained groan. Immediately the boy writhed into fetal position, hugging his knees against his chest. Sweat dotted his pale face as his stomach lurched with every wave that crashed against the boat.

Rolling over in order to throw himself out of bed and into the bathroom, Natsu instantly stilled seeing Lucy's peaceful form dozing away without a care in the world. Her golden hair was splayed around her like a halo and her pink lips were slightly parted. Who was he to disturb such a peaceful sleep?

With as much patience and control as he could manage, Natsu inched towards the foot of the bed before swinging his feet over and getting off. Now that he was safe from waking up his partner, the boy bolted into the bathroom, immediately throwing up inside the toilet. Tears welled in the dragon slayer's eyes as his stomach heaved. Not having ate dinner the night before, he quickly ran out of things to throw up. But that didn't stop his stomach from feeling like shit. All he could do was lay on the tile floor in absolute pain.

Lucy gave a soft groan as her eyes fluttered open due to hearing soft whines. Lazily sitting up, the girl wiped the crust from her eyes and glanced around. Hearing Natsu's whines coming from the bathroom, the blonde got out of bed and headed towards him, only to see him curled up on the floor.

"Natsu? Are you okay?" Lucy questioned in concern.

"Not at all…" the boy answered, his cheeks puffing out again.

The blonde frowned, feeling a bit guilty for his sickness. Maybe dragging him with her wasn't the best idea after all, and that was without the whole marriage predicament.

"Let's get you to go see a mage that can help with this," Lucy suggested, wrapping an arm around him and helping him up. Natsu wordlessly nodded and together they took slow steps out of the room and towards the stairs.

Arriving at the lobby, Lucy quickened her pace, which in turn caused Natsu to do the same. They approached the front desk, worrying the receptionist.

"Is your husband alright?" the older woman questioned in alarm.

Lucy's cheeks warmed, remembering they were supposed to be married. "He has motion sickness."

The receptionist immediately understood and beckoned for another worker to come. This woman was younger, just a few years older than them. Her gaze dropped on the disheveled Natsu. With a green glow enveloping her hands, the woman casted a spell onto the boy.

Natsu perked feeling the immediate relief. "Whoa, what spell was that?"

"It was just a basic spell to balance your insides," the woman answered.

"How long will it last?"

"It lasts on most patients for the whole day."

"Yosh! This is better than Troia! Let's go, Lucy! I'm all fired up!"

Lucy bit back a smile and her cheeks flushed as Natsu grabbed her hand and led her away from the front desk. Either he was really excited about checking out the boat's shops like they planned last night, or he was really good at pretending to be her husband. The blonde gazed at their intertwined fingers, not blind to the heat that traveled through her body from the contact. Surely it must be because he was a fire dragon slayer, right?

Thanks to the generous size of the ship, there were plenty of shops waiting to be checked out. And Lucy was going to check out every single one, that was for sure. The first store they visited was a clothing store full of high end brands. The price tags had Lucy's eyes rolling backwards in their sockets, and the two immediately left without purchasing anything.

The next store was a small souvenir shop, full of clothing and small goods, all with the ship's name printed on them. Lucy and Natsu grinned as they checked out the merchandise, laughing as they found a rack of bobble-heads.

"Should we get everyone souvenirs now?" Lucy suggested, her fingers trailing over a cotton tee shirt with the company's brand on it.

"I wasn't planning on getting them any," Natsu admitted. He crossed his arms behind his head. "Well, other than Happy. You don't have to either, you know."

"I know I don't _have_ to, but I want to. They've helped me so much since I joined the guild, I want to pay them back somehow," Lucy replied with a fond smile. And it was true. The guild had been there with her through her father's threats to simply keeping her company on a slow day. Even now, they had been there for her through her father's sudden death. Buying them tee shirts was the least she could do.

Natsu's lips curled upwards into a smile as he gazed at Lucy's happy face. Coming with her on this cruise was a great idea, despite the motion sickness. Lucy's smile showed him that. He loved the way she cared for the guild just as much as he did, if not more. She was the most caring person he met, perhaps that was why he fell for her.

"What are we getting them then?" Natsu asked with a grin.

"We?" Lucy repeated with an arched brow.

"Yeah! We can split it!"

"You don't have to do that, Natsu."

"Yeah, yeah," the boy replied nonchalantly. Lucy's dad paying off her rent did leave her plenty to spare for their trip, but that didn't mean she should just waste it. Besides, getting food money wouldn't be too hard, he wasn't opposed to helping her.

Lucy smiled and shook her head. Natsu was definitely the sweetest person she met- well, save for Wendy, of course. Nobody could beat Wendy in that matter. But he was a close second. After all, not just anyone uproots a sakura tree and puts it in the canal so she could see it when she is sick.

No, that's something only Natsu would do.

The two purchased tee shirts for most of their closest friends. Cana was going to receive a flask with the brand's logo, however, considering she always just wore a bikini top. And Gray _definitely_ was not getting a tee shirt just to have him strip and lose it. No, he was getting a bobble-head upon Natsu's suggestion.

Once finished buying souvenirs for their friends, the two went through most of the other shops- other than the shops that offered food- nothing really catching their eyes that were in their budget. That only left one shop they hadn't seen, which was a small shop full of tourist clothing and accessories.

Lucy glanced around, not interested in what the store had to offer. She wasn't into tourist clothes- they weren't her type at all- until she ventured into a corner of the store and her eyes landed on an ankle length skirt. It was a rich shade of jade with the sides slit to reveal her legs. Pink flowers were printed over it in a random pattern. She actually kind of liked it.

Next to the skirt was a pair of matching shorts for men. Lucy's brows furrowed in thought.

" _He doesn't really have much clothes,"_ the blonde thought, a certain pinkette in mind. " _And the flowers will match his hair."_

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Natsu suddenly questioned, slinging an arm around her.

Lucy squealed and slapped the boy's arm, giving him a pointed glare. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

The pinkette merely cackled. "I didn't! You're the one that was zoning out! So what are you looking at?"

The blonde forgot her irritation and returned her gaze back to the matching items. "I like this skirt. And I figured since you don't have much clothes, I could get you the shorts and we could match." Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink as she asked, "Would that be tacky?"

Natsu glanced at the shorts. They weren't bad looking at all. Not really his style, but not bad. And it was obvious Lucy liked them. That was more than enough reason to get them.

"No way!" Natsu assured with a wide grin. "That sounds awesome! Let's get them!"

"Really?" Lucy questioned, her lips forming a smile.

"Yeah! It'll be cool!"

Natsu reached for the shorts, only to have his hand smacked away lightly.

"I'll buy them," Lucy stated. Before the boy could protest, she continued with a kind smile, "It'll be my souvenir for you, as a way to thank you for coming. And for everything else you've done for me."

Natsu ducked his face behind his scarf, knowing that he was blushing. He watched as Lucy went over to the cashier to pay. Something didn't sit right with him. Her words were nice and made his heart feel lighter, but it was like she didn't know how much she had done for him as well.

Eyes landing on black tank tops with the cruise's logo in a small font on the center, Natsu grinned and picked them up. Guessing Lucy's size, he picked one up for the both of them and rushed to the counter.

Lucy thanked the cashier after finishing her transaction and accepted her bag of merchandise, surprised when Natsu suddenly appeared beside her and placed something on the counter. The blonde arched a brow, finding the objects to be matching black tank tops.

Answering the girl's unasked questioned, the boy stated with a grin, "They're to go with the shorts and the skirt! And to say thanks for everything you've done for me!"

Lucy's face was set ablaze and her gaze fell to the floor. "I-I haven't done anything for you though."

"What do you mean? Of course you have! You've been my partner!"

"But I'm not really strong like Erza and Gray. You guys do most of the work, actually."

"That's not true at all," Natsu stated, his voice suddenly low and serious.

Lucy blushed even more, finding that she thought his voice was alluring.

"You're strong, Lucy," Natsu said. "And you're smarter than the rest of us. The team wouldn't be the same without you."

"Th-Thanks," Lucy mumbled, too shy to say it any louder.

"Aren't you two just the cutest couple?" the cashier, who was a shorter, plump woman with black hair and a friendly smile, gushed. "I take it you two are newlyweds?"

"U-Umm, yeah," Lucy replied, her blush deepening. "We are." She felt like she lied more in the past few days than she had in the past year.

"How adorable! Hope you enjoy these clothes!"

"Thanks!"

With their hands full with shopping bags, the two headed back to their room to put them away and get ready for their second day at the pool. Swimming wasn't the most relaxing activity they could've done, especially with their tickets to an exclusive spa day, but it was still fun. And Lucy liked seeing Natsu enjoying himself.

Taking turns using the bathroom to change into their swimsuits, the two were ready to go to the pool. Locking the door behind them, Lucy glanced at Natsu's hand. A blush stained her cheeks as she reached out and slid her hand with his.

"Ready to go?" she asked.

"Yeah," Natsu replied, his own heart speeding up from the contact.

Making their way wordlessly downstairs and towards the swimming pool, the two kept their eyes locked on anything other than the other person. Lucy bit her lower lip. This wasn't the first time her body had acted in such a way, but ever since their cruise, it had become more prominent.

" _What is wrong with me?"_ the blonde wondered. " _I'm being ridiculous! It's not like I'm in love with Natsu of all people or anything! Get it together!"_

Once they reached the pool, Lucy pulled her hand away, though her heart was still thumping wildly, only calming down as she entered the pool. It was a bit more crowded than the day before since it was their first full day on the cruise. Couples were dipping their feet into the pool, splashing each other in shallow areas, and wading around in the deeper areas.

Lucy and Natsu chose an empty spot just before the deep end of the pool. The blonde wasn't able to stand on the soles of her feet and instead had to stand on the tips of her toes. Natsu cackled, seeing as he was able to stand just fine, the water at his neck.

Lucy gave a pleasant sigh as she floated on her back, unaware of the lustful stares coming from the people around her, one of which being her supposedly dense partner. Natsu swallowed thickly, unable to help staring at her breasts. The water that coated her body sparkled under the sun. She looked like a goddess.

Natsu licked his lips before breaking his gaze with a shake of his head. Then his eyes roamed the pool to find most of the other men staring at Lucy as if she was a piece of meat. Sure, he had been looking at her with a just as lustful gaze, but it was different! He at least knew her, these guys didn't know anything about her! And besides, she was _his_ wife, not theirs- or technically his pretend wife, but whatever. Shouldn't they've just been happy with their own wives?

Jealousy bubbled within him. He just couldn't let them ogle at her any longer or else he might turn the relaxing pool into a pot of boiling water. Glancing back at Lucy, the boy grinned thinking of a way to both end the perverts' staring and to annoy her. Two birds with one stone!

Wading just behind the blonde, he dipped below the water and wrapped his arms around the unsuspecting girl's waist. Even from below the water he could hear her shrieks. Lifting himself back up, he cackled, the girl's shouts much easier to hear now.

"Put me down, Natsu!" Lucy shouted.

The said boy ignored her and continued to laugh as he carried her backwards and lifted her into the air, bringing her under the water with him and creating a huge splash.

Lucy rose from the water and immediately glared at her partner. So he wanted to annoy her, huh? Well two could play at that game. Rushing towards the cackling boy, the blonde brought her hands to the top of Natsu's head and pushed downwards, trying to push him under the water. Unfortunately for her, he wouldn't budge.

Natsu paused from his cackling and opened his eyes in order to tease her in her failed efforts to drown him, only to realize he had made a huge mistake. Right in front of his face were Lucy's barely clad breasts, bouncing each time she tried to push him down. Thank god he was under the water, seeing as how there was a familiar twitch of his groin.

Not thinking he could handle staring at such a blessed view any longer, Natsu pushed his competitive side away and let Lucy push him below the water.

" _This is gonna be a long cruise."_

* * *

Lucy frowned as she dug through her suitcase, looking for the perfect outfit to wear for dinner that night. Since they were so busy last night, the two ended up missing the designated time for dinner and didn't have time to go to any of the food stores either. Thus, their stomachs growled throughout the night. They weren't going to let that happen again.

"Why don't you just wear the outfit we got today?" Natsu questioned in slight annoyance. He was starving and wanted to get food already.

"Because I want to look nice," Lucy answered, sticking her tongue out at him. "It's our first dinner here and this is a nice cruise. It's a great time to dress up."

"I thought you hated dressing up? Didn't you have to do that when you lived with your dad?"

Lucy frowned at the memories that resurfaced, especially since she and her father could never make amends.

"I did," she answered. "But it wasn't exactly the dressing up part I hated. I hated that I couldn't choose my clothes. But what I hated even more were the occasions I had to wear them to. Everyone was so stuck up and I was only there to look pretty and smile. But now I can wear what I want and look cute doing it! And I can still have fun!"

Natsu smiled with the girl, having heard all he needed. As long as she was having fun, he would suck it up and wait.

Lucy grinned widely as she found the perfect dress for the night. With a giddy squeal, she rushed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

Natsu waited on the bed, hearing the shower turn on. Knowing Lucy, he had a good hour before it was his turn to shower. Though, being on a cruise didn't leave him much to do when he was alone in the bedroom. So, he simply played with his magic- carefully, of course. He knew what would happen to him if he accidentally turned the bed to ashes.

Eventually, he heard the shower turn off. He sat up and listened to Lucy's movements. His keen hearing picked up on everything, from her footsteps exiting the tub to her towel being removed from the rack. Then, he heard her curse.

"You good, Luce?" Natsu asked with a hint of concern. The only reason she could be cursing in the bathroom was if her monthly visitor showed up, but having known her cycle- he had to know which days to avoid annoying her- he knew that wasn't the case.

"U-Umm, Natsu?" the girl called out meekly. "C-Can you get me some u-underwear? I forgot to get them after I picked out my dress…"

"Sure," he replied with a shrug, not deeming it to be a big deal. That is, until he opened the girl's suitcase and found her stash of underwear. His face instantly burned a bright crimson as he looked at all of the selection. There were so many pairs of lacy underwear. And the bras were _huge!_ Then there were some stretchy strings.

" _When is someone supposed to wear something like this? During a meal?"_ Natsu wondered. With an audible gulp, he picked up the black stringy underwear and a black bra made entirely of lace. It was no surprise that his mind immediately began to imagine Lucy donning the articles of clothing.

"I-I have them," Natsu stammered. "Want me to come in there?"

"No way!" Lucy screeched. "J-Just give them to me. I'll open the door a little bit."

The pinkette nodded and his heartrate quickened as the bathroom door creaked open just an inch. Lucy's dainty hand slid through the small opening, fishing for her underwear. Unbeknownst to her, the boy could see her backside through the crack of the door, reflected by the mirror. Guilt ebbed away at him, so he quickly averted his eyes and handed the girl her clothes, their hands brushing against each other.

"Th-Thanks," Lucy stated, quickly shutting the door. The task was much more intimate than she imagined. Perhaps it would have been better to go out in only the short towel. It wasn't like he hadn't seen her in such a state before. Though, with how short it was, bending down wouldn't have been possible without showing her lady region.

Slipping into her dress, Lucy smiled at her reflection in the mirror. It was one of the nicest dresses she owned, costing her more money than she'd like to admit. It was an ankle-length, strapless dress that was tight around her curves before gently flowing past her thighs. It was white in color, so she would have to be extra careful while eating. She wished she could summon Cancer so that he could do her hair.

" _It would be even better if my hair was naturally wavy like Mira's,"_ Lucy thought, envious towards her beautiful friend. She wished her hair didn't simply flow straightly.

With a displeased sigh, the blonde exited the bathroom, her confidence slightly altered. Usually she was aware of her good looks, but there were times her insecurities got the best of her.

Natsu couldn't help but glance towards the door after hearing it open. In a matter of seconds, his jaw dropped to the floor and his eyes grew wide. Heat rushed to his face and he had to duck into his scarf to hide it. And it was all because Lucy looked absolutely gorgeous.

The dress showed less skin than any of her usual outfits, but it still caused his heart to leap into his throat. It hugged her curves and made her look like an angel, even more so with her golden hair. She was stunning.

"Do I look bad?" Lucy asked with a frown as she averted her gaze. Usually Natsu always had something to say, so him being quiet upon seeing her wasn't a good sign. "Should I go change?"

"W-Why would you have to change?" Natsu asked in return after fumbling with his words.

"I already told you, I want to look good tonight! Ugh, I'll go cha-"

"Don't," the boy interrupted. He looked away as he continued, "You look good."

"R-Really?" the blonde asked. Her cheeks felt warm and she felt as though she was starting to sweat. For some reason, his words affected her more than they should have. Perhaps it was because he never really complimented her looks in such a way. Maybe it was because she assumed he didn't see girls like that.

"Yeah," Natsu replied. "I always think you look good."

Lucy flushed from head to toe, her heart thumping wildly. "W-Whatever, let's just go eat already. I'm starving."

Glancing at his hand, she reached for it, ignoring the excitement she felt as she did. What was up with all of these new feelings? Well, they weren't _new_ new. She had blushed many times in her life, even from Natsu. But something felt different. Almost as if she wanted to keep blushing. She _wanted_ the feeling to persist.

When they reached the dining hall, they were surprised to see that everyone had assigned tables based on their room numbers, two couples to each table. Every table was round and covered in a white table cloth with golden rims. In the center of each table was a candle and a rose in a glass vase. The cruise did not miss out on fancy details.

Lucy was a bit uneasy about sharing a dining table with another couple. What if they found out about their secret and reported them? Meanwhile, Natsu just wanted to be alone with Lucy.

Finding their table took a few minutes, seeing as how there were so many. When they found it, both were upset to find another couple already sitting there, who were apparently roomed in 203, according to the card placed on the table.

One of the people was a girl around their age with pink, curled hair. Her eyes were an eerie red, similar to a certain iron-eating dragon slayer. She was scantily dressed in a maroon dress with a large slit between her breasts reaching her bellybutton. Similarly to Lucy, the girl also had a nice figure.

Sitting next to her was a boy who appeared a couple years older than them in his twenties. He had light brown hair and gorgeous emerald eyes. He definitely dressed better than Natsu, wearing a black and white suit.

Upon seeing Lucy and Natsu approaching, the pink-headed girl turned to look at them.

"Are you from room 202?" she asked with a wide grin. Her red eyes lingered over Natsu, specifically his revealed abs. To Lucy's disgust, she licked her lips.

Lucy glanced towards her supposed husband to find his reaction towards the girl. Unsurprisingly, he seemed unbothered by it. That, or he didn't notice. She couldn't help but pout, but recovered quickly to address the girl.

"Yeah, we are," she answered. She moved to sit by the girl, but the other girl covered it with her hands.

"You should sit over there by my husband and let yours sit next to me! Us pinkettes have to stick together!" she exclaimed with a shrill laugh.

Lucy was about to argue, but Natsu sat by the other girl with a shrug. Knowing him, he didn't care and just wanted to eat already. Biting her tongue, the blonde sat by the other girl's husband, who was practically drooling over her breasts.

"So what are your names?" the other girl asked, only looking at Natsu.

"My name is Lucy Heartfilia," the blonde answered. Wanting to get the other girl to stop looking at her partner, she asked, "What's your name?"

Finally the female pinkette glanced at her and answered, "I'm Loly Madoka. And what's _your_ name?"

Natsu grinned at the girl- unnoticing the pout that Lucy gave- and answered, "I'm Natsu Dragneel!"

"That's a nice name," Loly complimented, resting her chin on her palms.

"Thanks!"

Lucy frowned as she watched the two talk. Unsure as to why, jealousy bubbled in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't like they were really together or anything, but shouldn't Natsu have been trying more? Why the hell was he talking to some random chick so much? _They_ were the ones on the vacation together. He should've been paying attention to her!

"My name's Jun," the boy seated next to her, Loly's husband, suddenly stated. He wore a cocky smirk, one that Lucy wanted to wipe off his face. "It's nice to meet you, Lucy."

"Yeah, you too," the said girl replied, only to prevent being rude.

"Where are you from?"

"Magnolia."

"Oh, nice. We're from Tule. Ever heard of it?"

"Nope, sorry," Lucy bluntly answered, all the while watching Natsu and Loly's interactions. "So how long have you and your wife been married?"

From the corner of her eye, she saw Jun's smirk falter at the mention of his wife.

"For a couple years," he answered, his smirk coming back. "What about you and Pinkie?"

"His name is Natsu," Lucy told him with a glare. "And we've been married for, uhh, a few months."

"Oho, so you're newlyweds?"

"Looks like it."

"What kind of relationship do you two have?"

"What do you mean? We're married."

Jun chuckled. "Well, Loly and I have an open relationship."

And that was when Lucy put the pieces together.

"O-Oh," she stammered. "Umm, good for you?"

Jun laughed again. "You and your husband are exclusive?"

"Yes, very much so."

"What a bummer. You're way too good looking to be tied down like that. But who knows, things could change. I mean, it looks like he and Loly are hitting it off."

Lucy frowned and furrowed her brows as she glanced towards the other two. It was true. The two were laughing as if they'd known each other for years.

Dread filled her entire being as she wondered, " _Is Natsu into her?"_ The mere thought alone had tears pricking her eyes.

Luckily, a waiter came to her rescue and distracted her with a menu full of delicious looking food. Maybe she was only angry with Natsu because she was hungry. Maybe that's it.

After getting their meals, Lucy was relieved to find that Natsu stopped talking to Loly in favor of stuffing his face with food. Loly seemed momentarily shocked by the boy's lack of manners, but obviously recovered quickly as she continued to ogle at him. Lucy kept her gaze to her food, picking at it and no longer in the mood to eat.

When they finished their meals, Lucy quickly rose from her seat and beckoned for Natsu.

"Well, we should get going. It was nice meeting you guys," Lucy lied. In truth, she was planning on convincing Natsu to survive off of the snacks they provided at the shops. It wouldn't be as good as the food at the dining hall and would cost them a fortune, but at least she wouldn't be by that annoying couple.

"Aww, why do you have to leave so soon?" Loly asked with a pout. She placed her hand over Natsu's bicep, unaware of the daggers she was receiving via an angry blonde.

"I'm just a little tired is all," Lucy lied. "C'mon, Natsu."

"Okay!" the boy replied. "Later, Loly! Jun!"

Lucy made sure to hold his hand, a smirk etching itself onto her face seeing the frown Loly gave. When they reached their room, however, she quickly let go of his hand and went straight into the bathroom. In truth, she was angry at her best friend.

Lucy knew her anger was irrational. Natsu was just being the kind person he always was and didn't even realize Loly's motives. She couldn't blame him for that. Still, it irked her to see them hitting it off while she had to talk to Jun, who wouldn't stop staring at her chest. Shouldn't Natsu have been more interested in talking to her? They were best friends, after all.

Changing into a pair of silk shorts and a loose tank top, Lucy left the bathroom and got into bed without sparing a glance towards Natsu. The boy immediately picked up on her sour mood, though he had no idea what was wrong.

"Umm, Luce? You okay?" Natsu asked, hesitantly sitting by her on the bed.

"I'm fine," she answered, though her monotone voice betrayed her words. "Let's just go to sleep."

"But it's only nine o'clock… C'mon, Lucy. What's wrong?" Natsu asked with a frown.

Lucy sighed and sat up to look at him. There was no way in hell she was going to tell him she was jealous. No. That was not happening. Still, she couldn't be mad at him when he did nothing wrong. It wasn't fair.

"I'm sorry," the blonde replied, shaking her head. "My food just wasn't good."

"That's it?" Natsu questioned with a raised brow.

"Yeah. Stupid, I know."

Natsu gave her a fanged grin. "Not stupid. Weird!"

"Shut up," Lucy said, playfully nudging him with a small smile. "I'm going to read now before going to sleep. You and I are going to the spa tomorrow!"

"But spas are boring."

"No, they're relaxing. Which is what I came here to do. And since we won an exclusive deal, we are not wasting it!"

"Fine."

Natsu watched as Lucy picked up a book she packed with her and opened to the first page. He frowned, seeing as he had nothing to do.

"Hey, Lucy?"

"Yeah?" the blonde asked, raising a brow.

"Do you think you can read your book out loud?" he asked. "I don't have anything to do so I might as well listen."

Lucy grinned widely and explained, "Sure! This can be our book! I haven't read it since Levy-chan gave it to me a week ago, so we'll be starting it together!"

"Nice! I'm all fired up!"

Lucy giggled and began to read aloud from the first line. Natsu intently watched her mouth move and form the words, nearly too entranced by her pink lips to hear what she was saying. Laying down, he continued to listen until he eventually dozed off into sleep.

Lucy glanced towards her partner and smiled noticing he was asleep. Shutting the book, she placed it on the nightstand before laying down. Though unlike the night before, she didn't pay attention to how far she was from the edge and instead scooted closer to the warmth.

* * *

 **AN:** Lots of jealousy this chapter! What do you guys think? :D

Thank you to the reviewers: **westerngoddess, lareepqg, Dinoadge, Grizzly98, sarara1.8, LITTLE MISS VAMPIRE NERD, Soul Eater Maka, ThatOneFriend-3, Milk Maiden, MasterGildarts, Voltronic, brotnovmic, CupcakeGoddess22, FairyTailLover04, Lunahartz, lokibotan2, FairyRains, Nalulove, Guest, Barbatos lupus, leelovesher, Askforem, Dragneel562, biyiksizkedi, Meow Orbit, Grandeeney Marvell, Adtrboy0916, Blonde Neko-chan, bowlalie, Alexa60765, turtle3334, waiting-for-you443.** You guys are awesome. :)


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** This chapter took so long to finish lol it's pretty long. Hope you guys enjoy! :D

ALSO. I've officially been writing Nalu stories for a year now and I think that's awesome so yeah! :D

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Chapter 6

Natsu's eyes slowly opened as light washed over his face. He tried to lift his arm to rub his eyes, only to find that there was a foreign weight on top of it. Turning his head, his eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets at the sight of Lucy cuddling against him, her head resting over his arm and her legs straddling his side. Her breasts were pushed against his side as well, though he tried not to pay attention to that. Instead, he awed at the peaceful smile that was glued to her face. He had seen it countless of times, yet it still managed to lighten his heart.

A lock of golden hair over her face caught his attention. His fingers itched to move it, but that would've been pushing the boundary between them. They were best friends, not lovers. It wasn't something that he should've done. And yet he found his hand moving on its own as it brushed her hair behind her.

" _What am I getting myself into?"_ Natsu wondered with a frown. Before, he was fine with their relationship. Their friendship was the most important thing in the world to him, he didn't want to go and screw that up. But now that they were sleeping in the same bed, spending every minute together, and even pretending to be married, he couldn't help but want to act on his feelings. Was that so wrong of him?

Eventually, Lucy's eyes fluttered open as well, prompting Natsu to lay stiff as a board and pretend to be asleep. There was no way in hell he was going to let her know that he was watching her sleep. Not happening.

The blonde brought a hand to her face and sleepily rubbed her eyes. Then, her brown eyes fully opened to see exactly what position she was in. Barely suppressing a squeal, the girl scampered out of bed, crashing onto the floor with a loud thump. Cursing as she rubbed her aching bum, she glanced back at the bad, her cheeks rosy. _She_ was just cuddling with _Natsu._

The worst part of it was that she enjoyed it for a split millisecond.

How did things get like this? And what exactly did that even mean? Things were getting complicated and messy, and she _hated_ messy situations.

Natsu took the thick silence as his cue to 'wake up.' With an exaggerated yawn, the boy rose and stretched his arms over his head. Glancing towards Lucy, he gave her a slightly strained grin.

"Morning, Luce!" he greeted.

"G-Good morning," the girl replied. She was just glad that Natsu didn't know about their impromptu cuddling session. Standing up, she brushed herself off and smiled at her partner. "Are you ready to go to the spa?"

"I guess. Can we get breakfast first?"

"Of course. We'll go to the dining-"

Lucy shut her mouth as she remembered the couple they shared a table with. Jun, who couldn't stop staring at her like a piece of meat, and Loly, who was clearly lusting for Natsu. The blonde didn't know why, but the latter seemed to piss her off more than the former. All she knew was that she didn't want to be around them ever again.

"Can we just get something from a shop?" Lucy suggested with an awkward grin.

Natsu arched a brow. "What? No way. The food is better at the dining hall and it's free. You love free things, why don't you want to go to the dining hall?"

"No reason!" As if she was going to admit she was jealous. "I'll go get dressed then."

"You aren't going to shower?"

"Nope! We'll just sweat anyways when we go to the spa."

"Gross."

"I guess a little. But it's relaxing."

"If you say so."

Lucy quickly got dressed into a pink sundress with white flowers printed on it. The dress was loose and flowy, easy to take off. Going to a spa, she was sure she was going to undress plenty of times.

The two left the room hand in hand, this time not as embarrassed as before. Their hands fit perfectly together and they found they enjoyed holding each other's hands. Even without thinking of it, one would grab the other's hand.

Reaching the dining hall, Lucy immediately frowned as her eyes landed on Loly and Jun eating at the table. She was hoping they would come at different times and avoid each other completely.

Of course, Loly's red eyes lit up at the sight of Natsu. She was adorned in a tank top that barely concealed her breasts and had an annoyingly large hat on her head.

"Good morning, Natsu!" she greeted, waving him over.

"Yo!" the boy replied, much to Lucy's annoyance.

The blonde sighed as she sat beside Jun, who was already looking her up and down. What she would give to summon Virgo to make a hole underneath their seats and send them into the ocean… Even Taurus wasn't as obvious with his staring. Okay, that wasn't true. But Jun was still pretty obvious.

"Good morning, sunshine," Jun greeted.

Lucy sighed. "Morning."

"That dress is nice. It looks real good on you."

"Thanks, because I definitely wore it to get your approval."

"Feisty. I like it."

"Yeah? You should really like your wife instead."

Meanwhile, Natsu didn't have a problem talking to Loly at all. There were strange times in which she would touch his arm, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. He didn't know Loly too well, but he thought she was nice. And a person's kindness was important to him.

"What are your plans for today, Natsu?" Loly asked. "I'm going to the pool later, care to join?"

"Nah, Lucy and I are going to the spa," Natsu answered, his eyes lighting up once the waiter delivered his food.

"You don't seem too excited about that," Loly commented with a cocky grin.

"Ehh, spas aren't my thing. Well, I've never been to one so I'm not sure if they are or not. But I would rather be at the pool."

"Really? Well then why don't you come with me? I'm sure Lucy won't mind!"

Natsu frowned and shook his head. "Nah. I'd rather stay with Lucy!" With that, the boy began stuffing his face with chicken, unnoticing the pout that rested on Loly's face. What he did notice, however, was Jun's incessant flirting with Lucy.

Turning his head, Natsu watched as Jun went into a spiel about how much he works out at the gym. And though his body was nothing like Natsu's, it was clear that he took good care of it. Natsu's eyes darted over to Lucy to see her reaction of it. To his delight, the blonde wasn't interested in the slightest and was clearly only listening to be polite.

Natsu glanced at Jun again. He couldn't blame him for trying to flirt with Lucy- well, besides the fact that he had a wife. Lucy was gorgeous, by far the most attractive person on the ship in his opinion. Hell, he hadn't met someone he regarded as more beautiful than her. The girls at the guild were pretty, of course, but he could never see any of them past something similar to a sister.

Lucy was different. He'd had a crush on her for a while- ever since she skipped out on a date to go on a mission with him, to be exact. Something about her choosing him over someone else sparked something within him he couldn't explain. But he recently discovered that his feelings went deeper than a simple crush when Lucy refused to run from Kain on Tenrou Island. It was then that he knew he had serious feelings for the blonde, feelings that he had never experienced before.

Wanting to end the one-sided conversation between Jun and Lucy, Natsu scooted his chair closer to the blonde to get her attention. He grinned seeing her smile in relief.

"How's the food this time?" Natsu asked, nudging the girl.

"Much better now," Lucy answered, her smile growing. "I'm excited to go to the spa! I haven't been to one in years!"

"You know, we could sweat anywhere."

"It's not just sweating! There are massages and mud baths!"

"Mud baths?" Natsu repeated in disgust. "You actually want to bathe in mud?"

"It sounds gross, but it's really good for your skin!" Lucy replied. "It's going to be fun, I promise!"

Loly watched the couple talk in frustration. It was clear Natsu enjoyed talking to his wife more than her, and that bothered her to no end. She was just as attractive and young as Lucy! Surely she could get Natsu's attention with her looks! Unless their love truly was strong enough to prevent such a thing. And she was going to find out.

"You two are adorable!" Loly swooned. "You two should kiss!"

Lucy's face was set ablaze. "W-What?"

"Kiss!" the other girl repeated. "What's the harm? It's just showing your husband some love, see?" She leaned closer to Jun and planted her lips over his in a chaste kiss. "Like that!"

"Umm, I'm not really one for kissing outside of the bedroom."

"Just a peck!"

"No thank you."

"Oh c'mon, Lucy! Don't be such a stick in the mud! Just do it!"

" _No,_ Loly. The answer is no."

Thick silence hung over the group like a blanket. Lucy kept her gaze over her food, completely annoyed. Who the hell was Loly to judge her like that for not wanting to kiss Natsu? Sure, they were supposedly married, but still. Why did she want to see that anyways?

Natsu frowned, also annoyed with Loly. He didn't know why she was so interested in seeing them kiss, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that now Lucy was upset.

Loly smirked, her plan having worked out perfectly. "I'm sorry for pushing you, Lucy. I guess I just don't know when to stop! Anyways, Jun and I will be heading out now. Have fun at the spa!"

With that, the other couple left, though not before Loly patted Natsu's arm. Lucy breathed a huge sigh of relief, already feeling her irritation slip away now that the catalysts for it were gone. Still, she needed to sit in silence for a few more moments before she was able to speak again.

"Want to go to the spa now?" Lucy questioned, glancing at her partner.

Natsu flinched, surprised to suddenly hear her voice. He studied the girl's face in concern. "You okay, Luce? We don't have to go today if you don't want to."

"No way! We're going. I'm not going to let some minor thing keep me from a spa!"

Natsu grinned noticing the fire within Lucy's brown orbs. Standing from his seat, he held his hand out towards the blonde.

"Let's go then!" he exclaimed.

Lucy grinned as well and took his hand, allowing him to lead her away. Both of their cheeks warmed from the small contact but they brushed it off. For now, they were solely going to focus on the spa.

Reaching a pair of glass doors, the two were finally at the spa. They shared an excited grin before pushing the doors open and walking to the front desk where a feminine man was stationed. He had black hair gelled back and black eyes. He had long lashes, prominent from the mascara he wore. Natsu nearly threw up in his mouth as an image of Bob from Blue Pegasus came to mind.

"Hello there!" the man greeted, putting down a nail filer he was using. His voice was a bit higher pitched than most males' and he had a French accent. "My name is Jean, what can I help you two with today?"

Lucy smiled at the man and handed him their tickets while answering, "Hi, we're the couple that won the exclusive spa day from the swimming race the other day."

"Oh fantastic!" Jean replied. He eyed Natsu up and down. "I can definitely see how fit you two are. No wonder you won the race."

Lucy sighed. What in the world was up with the people on the ship? Yeah Natsu was attractive, but was he that attractive? There had to be plenty of people that were better looking than her loud, brash partner. Though when she began to think of the strangers she saw on the ship, she realized that there were none. Thus, she broadened her scopes and recalled everyone from their guild. There were plenty of gorgeous men she could list off the top of her head, but were they as attractive as Natsu? She glanced at the boy himself and quickly got the answer.

" _No, they aren't,"_ she thought, continuing to ogle the boy. Her eyes lowered to his revealed abs once again. Every boy in the guild had abs. Hell, she saw Gray's just about every day. So why was it that when she looked at Natsu's specifically, a strange warmth pooled in the pit of her stomach? " _I guess Natsu is the most attractive boy I've met."_

Natsu glanced towards Lucy noticing how silent she was, only to find her staring back at him. She was zoning out. With a smirk, he waved his hand in front of the blonde to gain her attention. She jolted and met his gaze with flushed cheeks.

"Ready to go?" Natsu asked, still smirking at the girl.

Lucy nodded. "Y-Yeah!"

Jean chuckled in amusement before leading the way through a hallway beside the front desk. It was narrow but had plenty of rooms. At the end of the hall, he stopped and opened the door to the left to reveal a decently sized room with two massaging beds, many candles, and a rack of towels.

"Your masseuses will be here in five minutes. Until then, please undress and cover yourselves with towels. I will see you two after your massages. Enjoy!"

Jean shut the door behind him and thanks to a clicking sound, the two knew that they were locked in. Lucy glanced towards Natsu, who was standing with his arms crossed behind his head. She blushed, realizing that they were supposed to undress now. Of course, there were no changing rooms. After all, they were supposed to be married.

"You can change first," Lucy offered with rosy cheeks. "I'll turn around until you're done."

Natsu shrugged and began to remove his clothes once Lucy turned around. He didn't care if she turned or not considering she had seen every inch of his body at least once. It wasn't something he was embarrassed about in the slightest. Few things embarrassed him, actually.

Once finished undressing, he wrapped the towel over his hips and called out, "I'm done. You can turn around now."

Lucy did just that, only for her eyes to be drawn towards his exposed body. He had his scarf wrapped around his forehead. Her brown orbs traced over every indentation revealed and she found her fingers itching to touch him. Her eyes continued to roam downwards until they landed on the white material loosely wrapped over his hips. It hung low and threatened to fall, and for some odd reason, Lucy found herself hoping it did. Her entire body morphed red in embarrassment and a tingling sensation erupted between her legs.

Whipping her head upwards to meet Natsu's gaze, she hastily ordered, "Turn around!"

Natsu grinned mischievously, crossing his arms and sitting on the bed. Unbeknownst to him, it allowed the flustered girl to see up the towel, though not as far up as she found herself wanting.

"Nope!" the boy teased. "I'm gonna watch!"

Lucy's blush deepened and she slapped his arm. "No way, pervert!"

Natsu laughed as the blonde kept hitting him. Then an idea popped into his head, one that was sure to annoy her. Suddenly grabbing her wrist, the boy stood up from the bed right in front of her, peering into her eyes. There wasn't even an inch of space between them, their hot breaths washing over each other.

Lucy's eyes bugged wide as her heartrate became sporadic. She couldn't help but notice that their lips were dangerously close to touching and she actually had to restrain herself from closing the distance between them. Just what was happening to her?

Natsu smirked seeing just how flustered the girl was. He couldn't describe it well, but he felt proud that he was the one to bring such a reaction from her. Though, he was sure she would've reacted like that had anyone done that.

Moving closer, the boy whispered in a husky voice, "We're supposed to be married, aren't we?"

Lucy felt like she was going to faint with all of the different feelings that were coursing through her. Confusion, annoyance, joy, fear, lust, she was experiencing them all.

Finally, Natsu started laughing and released his hold over his wrist, backing up to give her some space. Which she desperately needed.

"Jeez, Luce! You're as red as a tomato!" Natsu teased, continuing to laugh.

"Shut up," the blonde replied with a heavy sigh. "Can you just hurry up and turn around so I can get undressed?"

"Nope."

"Natsu!"

"Alright, alright! Sheesh!"

Lucy sighed again, finally being able to get undressed. She turned away from Natsu, unable to look at him while she stripped, deeming it too intimate despite the fact that he wouldn't have known.

A grin was glued to Natsu's face as he continued to think of other ways to annoy Lucy during their trip until he heard something drop on the floor, obviously being an article of clothing. He wasn't sure what it was, but he couldn't help but imagine the blonde stripping. He had seen her naked _many_ times, and yet there was something about her body he just couldn't get enough of.

Her legs were long and creamy and they led to her curvy hips. Just above that was her slim waist, which of course led to one of the most prominent features of hers: her breasts. Just about every girl at the guild had ample chests, but once again, Lucy was different compared to them. She was special. Her body alone was what had his heart racing and his face warm. Not to mention a certain body part of his twitching with excitement.

Hearing every article of clothing she wore dropping to the floor was bittersweet. On the one hand, he enjoyed imagining Lucy's body. She had a great figure and she was the one he had feelings for, of course he would like seeing her flesh. On the other hand, his body was getting excited and he couldn't risk Lucy seeing. But it wasn't like he could help it.

Finally, Lucy's voice called out to him.

"These towels are way too short," she said in distaste.

Natsu turned around and sure enough, the towel barely covered anything. Her breasts threatened to spill from the top, but if she pulled it upwards to cover them, her bum would've been revealed.

"Boys are lucky, they only have to cover one part of their body," Lucy complained.

Natsu's member twitched again, threatening to rise. His voice was slightly strained as he replied, "I-I wouldn't say we're lucky…"

The blonde arched a brow and glanced at her partner. Before she could question him, however, the door was thrown open, revealing a man in his early twenties, behind whom was a girl their age. Jean wasn't kidding when he said they had five minutes to get dressed. The masseuses didn't even knock.

The male masseuse's eyes immediately landed on Lucy, or rather her figure. With lust pooling in his eyes, he made his way towards her side, not sparing her supposed husband a glance. He had light brown hair and mesmerizing blue eyes along with a cocky grin, one that Natsu wanted to wipe off his face.

"Hello there, my name is Jay," the man stated with a grin.

Lucy smiled politely in return and replied, "I'm Lucy. So how does this work?"

"You just lay face down on this table. We'll move your towels accordingly," the other masseuse answered. She was a brunette with a pixie cut and jade eyes. She moved towards Natsu and gestured for him to get onto the table.

Natsu obliged, but not before watching Lucy to make sure Jay didn't do anything funny to her. If he did, the whole ship was going to turn to ashes, that was for sure. Thankfully, Jay was professional enough to only move Lucy's towel down her back and still covered her rear. Now relieved, the pinkette moved to lay down as well.

He put his face in the hole, his head propped up. There was no room to turn his head to check on Lucy, and he could only do so by lifting his head, which he tested out. He wasn't happy with Lucy having a male masseuse but knew better than to make a scene.

That is, until he heard a moan coming from his right.

Immediately throwing his head back to glance at Lucy, he glared noticing Jay's hands travelling over her smooth skin, eliciting erotic moans from the blonde. His lower region probably would've gotten excited from the pleasurable sounds had it not been for another man being the one to cause them.

"Umm, sir? I'm going to have to ask you to lay back down," Natsu's own masseuse stated meekly.

"Huh? Oh, uhh, my bad," the pinkette replied. Reluctantly, he moved back into the correct position, hoping to get this over with.

"Alright, so I will be putting lotion in front of your nose. Let me know which scent you like the most."

After being subjected to smelling different lotions, Natsu finally settled for one that didn't make his face scrunch up. It was a nice scent of lavender and vanilla. It reminded him of Lucy.

The masseuse poured some of the lotion onto his toned back before rubbing it firmly with her hands. She moved in circular motions, kneading into him. He had to admit, it felt pretty good. The only thing ruining the experience was hearing yet another one of Lucy's moans.

Natsu sat up again, much to his masseuse's annoyance. She glanced towards Lucy and Jay, immediately putting two and two together.

"Hey, Jay," she called out. "Do you mind if we switch clients?"

"Huh? Why?" the man questioned in annoyance. He definitely did not want to stop massaging the blonde bombshell.

"My client's muscles are too tense and I'm afraid I don't have firm enough hands to properly get the job done. I could tell Jean if it's too much of a problem for you."

Jay cursed under his breath at his coworker and reluctantly switched clients. Natsu was thoroughly pleased with the situation and gave a smug grin before laying back down.

"Make sure to really get my muscles," Natsu jibed. That female masseuse definitely deserved a raise.

Lucy didn't care too much of the matter considering the girl did just as good a job as Jay did. This was just what her body needed after the hefty amount of jobs they had been doing lately. Every muscle in her body was finally relaxing and the coconut lotion that she chose was absolutely intoxicating.

Eventually, Jean entered the room once again. Lucy's eyes fluttered open from the sound and she realized that she was close to passing out due to how relaxed she felt. She almost wanted to skip out the rest of the spa just to keep getting a massage. But that would've been a waste.

"It's time for the next portion," Jean stated. "I'll give you two three minutes to get ready. Don't put your clothes back on, just wrap the towels around you. You'll be heading to the sauna now."

Once the door closed with a lock, Lucy stated, "I'll get up first, you stay there so that you don't see anything."

Natsu shrugged his shoulders wordlessly. Lucy rose from the table, her towel sliding down her body as she did to reveal her bum. Sliding off the table, she wrapped the table around her body before facing a wall.

"You can get up now," she stated.

Natsu did as he was told, immediately feeling how loose his body felt. He would definitely have to take Lucy to another one of these things. They worked wonders on his body.

A few moments later, Jean entered the room again and led them down another hall perpendicular from them. There were no doors on the side and led to just one door at the end, presumably the sauna.

Sure enough, once Jean opened the door to the room, the two were hit with a blast of steam.

"I will leave you two in here for ten minutes. I can't let you stay in here for too long due to safety reasons," Jean stated. After Lucy and Natsu entered the small room, he closed the door behind them and locked it.

Immediately the two began to sweat as they took a seat on the moist bench. The sauna wasn't as relaxing as Lucy had hoped, for it was much too hot. It was actually getting hard to breath and sweat continued to coat her body, loosening her towel's hold on her. Their hair was damp and stuck to their faces and their breathing grew louder.

"I thought this was supposed to feel good," Natsu complained.

"I thought so too," Lucy replied, laying her head on the boy's damp shoulder. "You're a fire dragon slayer, aren't you supposed to be able to handle the heat?"

"Steam is different."

"Not really."

The two were too tired to continue their bickering and instead opted for sitting in silence. They leaned against each other with their eyes closed. Lucy continued to pull her towel up, only for it to eventually loosen once again and threaten to fall off.

Finally, the doors were opened and a wave of cool air entered the sauna as Jean stood outside.

"How was that?" he asked.

"Hot," the two answered in unison. Their bodies felt like jello as they stood up and eagerly left the humid room.

"I get that a lot. Don't worry, the next attraction is hot as well, but the room isn't humid. Next up is the mud bath."

Jean led the two back to the previous hallway they were in, though this time they entered a room on the opposite side of the massage room. This room was larger and in the center was a hot tub with bubbling mud.

"It may look unpleasant, but the mud is amazing for your skin," Jean informed them. "This time I'll give you up to thirty minutes in here. After that, I will ask you to wash off in the showers over there. Oh, and please remove your towels before entering the tub."

With that, Jean closed the door and left the couple to stare at the blistering tub. Natsu shrugged and headed towards it. He didn't really want to bathe in mud, but if it was supposed to be relaxing, he would try it.

"I'm gonna jump in!" he exclaimed with a mischievous grin.

"Natsu, no!" Lucy cried, stopping him just before he could jump. "You can't jump in there! And you have to take off your towel!"

"Fine, fine."

Lucy released him and turned around, her cheeks stained pink. Though she didn't admit it aloud, she was embarrassed to be in the mud bath completely naked with Natsu. It wasn't the same as a normal bath, of course. He wouldn't be able to see her body and she wouldn't be able to see his. Still, the thought of being naked together felt weird and made a familiar warmth travel through her body.

Natsu removed his towel before dunking a foot into the boiling mud. It stung at first but he got eventually got used to it. He then submerged his entire body into the thick mud, which went up to his upper chest once he sat down. It was a strange feeling to sit in hot mud, but he couldn't say he disliked it. It was just strange.

"You can come in now," he said.

"Don't look then," the blonde replied.

"Duh."

Lucy hesitantly removed her towel, leaving her absolutely exposed. Her skin was still sticky with sweat as cold air washed over her body, hardening her chest. Sticking her toe into the tub, she tested the mud before sitting down. She squirmed uncomfortably, the mud coating every inch of skin that was strange to be covered with mud. At least her skin would thank her later for it.

Natsu glanced over at Lucy after knowing she was in. The mud went just above her neck. She sat on the opposite side of the tub, which wasn't too big. If one of them were to stick out their legs, they were sure to touch the other person. His groin grew excited after realizing that they were naked together. He really needed to get ahold of himself and his urges. Luckily Lucy couldn't see it.

"This feels weird," Lucy stated with a chuckle.

"What did you expect?" Natsu replied, smiling at the blonde.

"I don't know, I guess I thought it wouldn't feel so…"

"Weird?"

"Exactly."

The two shared a laugh, enjoying the other's company. Though being on a couples' cruise wasn't ideal to them, it was still fun. It truly was more fun when they were together.

Lucy rested her head back on the cement. She would definitely need a shower after this, maybe even two. Still, the mud was relaxing thanks to the heat it provided. Feeling tired, the blonde stretched her legs out, brushing against Natsu's.

"Oh, sorry," she said with a heavy blush.

"It's okay," Natsu replied, though his cheeks were flushed as well. Unbeknownst to Lucy, her legs got dangerously close to a certain member of his.

Needing to distract himself from the familiar tingling sensation growing in his groin, the boy grinned as a mischievous idea came to mind.

"Oi, Lucy," he called out. "There's a fly on your face. Here, let me get it."

"What? No, wait, Natsu!"

The boy ignored her, grinning widely as he leaned towards her and smeared mud over her cheek. Lucy squealed and slapped his hand away but it was too late.

"Natsu! I was trying not to get my face and hair in the mud!"

"Whoops! My bad! I was just trying to get the fly off your face!"

"You liar!"

Lucy leaned forward and ran her muddy hands through the boy's pink locks. With that, a war was started between them. Natsu cackled as he grabbed the girl's wrists and smeared mud on the other side of her face. She retaliated by thrusting herself forward and sliding her hands down his face. The two wrestled for dominance, their faces getting closer and closer until they were mere centimeters away.

It was then that Lucy remembered they were naked. She squealed and moved backwards, her back hitting the tub's wall. How could she get so carried away? Natsu seemed to be wondering the same thing too as he leaned back in silence as well.

Eventually, the door was knocked on before Jean entered.

"It's time to wash up now. Please wash all of the mud off before leaving the room. I have your clothes here. Change into them after your quick shower."

When they were left alone once again, they took turns washing off. Since there was no soap or whatnot, they simply scrubbed the mud away from every nook and cranny of their body and decided they would take real showers once they got to their room.

As they returned to the front desk of the spa, they thanked Jean for his services before leaving. The sun was shining over the ship and many of the passengers were on deck either lounging or swimming. The shops also seemed full of passengers.

Once the two reached their room, Lucy quickly entered the bathroom and shut the door behind her, leaning against it and taking deep breaths. Things were getting confusing and her thoughts were a jumbled mess. Her body was betraying her and her mind was slowly putting the pieces together of the bizarre feelings she held. If just one more incident occurred, her perfect world of denial would be shattered and she would be forced to deal with her strong feelings for Natsu Dragneel. But until then, the blonde was going to stay in denial.

Staying in the shower to make sure her body was truly clean after the mud bath, Lucy rested against the wall and allowed to water to wash over her. Their trip was proving to be fun and relaxing, despite her body's strange reactions towards Natsu. She decided they would have to do this again sometime, though perhaps bring other guild members along as well.

Finishing her shower, Lucy hopped out and quickly dried herself off before throwing on her outfit for the night: a simple green dress with white polka-dots. She was extra certain to bring every item of clothing she needed this time. With that, the blonde headed out with a hairbrush in hand.

"You can shower now," Lucy stated, brushing through her golden locks. She frowned as the brush tugged on a rather large knot. When she finished, she put the brush on the nightstand and grabbed the key to their room along with some money. "I'm going to get a drink real quick."

"Okay," Natsu replied, heading towards the bathroom. He wasn't embarrassed to say that he didn't shower as much as most people, but even he wanted to properly bathe after sitting in a tub of mud.

Lucy shut the door behind her and headed towards the end of the hall. Every floor and one miniature shop full of bathroom necessities, snacks, and other miscellaneous goods. The blonde's shopping trip was short as she grabbed a can of grape soda and quickly paid.

Opening the can, Lucy gulped down the drink, breathing a pleased sigh as she brought the can away from her face. Her feeling of content, however, disappeared after seeing a familiar face.

"Oh! Hello, Lucy!" Loly greeted with a smug grin as she headed towards the shop Lucy just left.

"Hi," Lucy replied only to be polite. She continued to walk past the other girl, only to be stopped by a remark that chilled her to the bone.

"I know your secret," Loly stated, her grin growing by a fraction as Lucy turned to face her again.

The blonde's breath hitched in her throat and her skin grew pale as if she had seen a ghost. "W-What do you mean?"

"You and Natsu. I know exactly what is going on."

"It was all just a mis-!"

"Save it," Loly interrupted, dropping her innocent façade and letting her true colors show. With complete confidence, she continued, "You and Natsu are having marital issues, aren't you?"

"H-Huh?" Lucy asked. That wasn't what she expected at all.

"It's obvious you two are having problems. You know, seeing other people can help. You can have Jun during the trip, I won't get mad. I promise."

"We aren't having marital problems," the blonde argued, relieved that their secret hadn't been found out. Her brows furrowed and her lips tugged into a frown as she continued, "And I don't want your husband. And Natsu doesn't want you either. We are very happy together, so drop it already."

Loly glared at her but recovered quickly with a heavy smirk. "Oh, so the unhappiness is one-sided, huh? Poor Natsu. You can't lie, Lucy. I already figured it out."

"There is nothing to figure out other than the fact that you and your husband are complete lunatics. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my husband." Lucy smirked and gave a petty wave as she turned her back on the other girl and resumed her walk back to her room.

Loly watched the blonde walk away, fury bubbling within her. She wasn't going to let her have the word.

"He doesn't love you," she called out, smirking as Lucy stopped in her tracks. "And you don't love him either. Your marriage is dying and I'm going to show that to Natsu. And when I do, he'll come running after me because I'm going to show him a good time. All. Night. Long."

Lucy turned her head just a fraction and replied, "You're wrong. Natsu wouldn't go for someone like you. Our marriage is fine."

Loly's smirk deepened. "Really? Because any normal married couple would've been able to kiss easily. Don't worry, I'll make it up to Natsu for you. So long, Lucy."

With that, the girl headed towards the store, leaving Lucy with an unfathomable rage. Lucy's eyes stayed narrowed as she stalked through the halls, cursing under her breath. She didn't know what bothered her so much. It wasn't like she and Natsu were actually married. It wouldn't have been wrong of him to be with Loly. But…

But it _was_ wrong. Natsu shouldn't be with some wench like Loly. He deserved someone kind that wanted to be with him because they loved him, not because they wanted to have a quick fling. He should've been with someone that made him laugh but also knew how to keep him in check. Someone that had similar interests and friends like the guild. Loly wasn't like that at all.

Chugging the rest of her soda, Lucy entered their room and aggressively threw the can into the trash bin. Natsu, who was sitting on the bed and waiting for the blonde's return, instantly noticed the girl's annoyance and wondered if he did something wrong.

Coming up short with any possibilities, he decided to ask, "Yo, you good, Lucy?"

The said girl glared at him. He hadn't done anything wrong, she knew this. But the fact that Natsu was friendly with Loly irritated her to no end and she couldn't help but direct her anger towards him.

"I'm fine," she harshly replied.

Natsu frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine, Natsu."

"Did I do something wrong? If I did, I'm sorry."

Lucy sighed, her anger quickly turning to guilt. "It's okay. It's not your fault. There was just an annoying girl at the store."

"Really?" Natsu asked skeptically.

"Yeah. She kept holding up the line."

Silence ensued, giving the room a tense atmosphere. Natsu fidgeted, not knowing what to do. It was clear that the blonde was lying, but it was also clear she didn't want to talk about whatever was bothering her. His eyes landed on the book they started reading together the prior night and grabbed it, smiling at the girl.

"Do you wanna read?" he asked with hopeful eyes. It wasn't so much that he wanted to read at the moment- though he admittedly liked the book- it was more like he wanted to cheer his best friend up. And since she loved reading, it was bound to work.

Sure enough, Lucy's eyes lit up and her lips formed an eager grin. "Okay!"

The two laid in bed together, their arms flushed against each other. Lucy read the narrative words aloud while Natsu read the dialogue, using different voices for each character and trying to make things more fun. He gave the butler an English accent, the antagonist a high pitched, nasally voice, and the protagonist a manly voice.

Eventually, a loud rumble sounded from both of them, the rumble being their stomachs. They had read for hours and it was now time for dinner.

"Let's take a break and go get some food," Natsu suggested

"Okay," Lucy replied, feigning a smile. She wasn't looking forward to seeing Loly and with her luck, the other girl would be waiting for them to show up. Still, she knew that Natsu didn't believe her story before and would get suspicious if she turned down dinner when her stomach was growling.

The two quickly headed towards the dining hall and sure enough, Loly and Jun were already sitting at their table and eating. Lucy's face heated with anger just at the mere sight of Loly and her hands formed tight fists. Keeping it civil, however, she sat down without saying a word.

Meanwhile, Loly gave a smug grin noticing the two's arrival and placed her hand over Natsu's bicep.

"Good to see you, Natsu! And you too, Lucy," she stated.

"Yo," Natsu greeted nonchalantly.

"How was the spa, Natsu? Do you regret not going to the pool with me?"

"Nah, the spa was actually awesome! They have a cool mud bath! You and Jun should go sometime!"

Lucy snickered behind her hand as Loly frowned. Leave it to Natsu to unknowingly offend someone. She couldn't wait to get home and tell Levy and Erza about this.

Loly narrowed her eyes at Lucy but smiled. "Is something funny?"

"Oh not at all," the blonde sarcastically replied with a laugh.

Loly turned her attention back towards Natsu, who glanced between the two girls in confusion. He could tell something was up between them considering he could read Lucy better than most. He knew when the blonde was annoyed and reaching her limit, what he didn't know was how Loly was involved.

Loly bit her lower lip in frustration. She was losing. No matter how much she laughed or batted her eyelashes, nothing was working on Natsu. Playing the part of the innocent girl wasn't working. She needed to up her game.

"Hey, Natsu," she began with a sly grin. "What do you say we go to my room after dinner?"

The said boy paused from eating his food and regarded the girl with a raised brow. Jun seemed unfazed while Lucy looked absolutely livid.

"For what?" Natsu questioned.

Loly nearly face-palmed but instead lightly traced her finger over Natsu's arm towards his shoulder.

"I think you know what," she replied with a wink.

It was then that Natsu realized the girl's intentions. His eyes widened and he dropped the food in his hand. His gaze switched between Loly and Jun, his brows tugged in confusion. "Wait, aren't you two married?"

Loly laughed and patted his arm. "Of course, silly! But we have an open relationship, so we can do whatever we want with whoever we want!"

"Sorry-"

"Natsu's not going with you," Lucy interrupted, glaring defiantly at the other girl. Anger was bubbling within her and threatening to spill. She couldn't keep watching some girl try to get Natsu.

Loly smirked and replied, "Isn't that up to Natsu to decide? It's clear your marriage is a sham considering you two won't even kiss in public anymore."

"Oh yeah?" Lucy questioned with a shrug. Turning to Natsu, she swallowed her fears and placed her hands gently over his cheeks and pulled his face towards hers.

Natsu's eyes widened and his mouth slightly parted thanks to Lucy's hands squishing his cheeks together. Before he could register what was happening, soft lips met his own chapped ones, molding together sloppily. Neither of them really moved, their lips simply on top of each other's. Still, the rush of heat he felt within his body along with the rush of emotions coursing through his body was enough passion for him.

Lucy's eyes were sealed tightly shut, too embarrassed to see Natsu's reaction. She had acted rashly without giving even a moment's thought as to what she was doing. Before she knew it, she was kissing Natsu of all people. And yet it wasn't at all how she imagined it.

Though their lips were motionless against each other, her heart felt as though it was going to soar out of her chest. Her eyelids felt heavy and breathing seemed impossible. A volcano practically erupted within her and was filling her body with a heat more intense than she had ever felt.

And it was all thanks to Natsu.

And that simple, motionless kiss was the breaking point of Lucy's denial. Every emotion she had kept locked up in the recesses of her mind, every feeling she had ignored, they all came rushing to her. How she didn't realize it before, she didn't know. But thanks to that awkward kiss, everything was clear.

She was in love with Natsu Dragneel.

Lucy's eyes slowly fluttered open, her eyelids heavy and unable to open all the way as she stared into Natsu's onyx orbs. His eyes were still widened from shock, unable to break their gaze. Their hearts crashed against their ribs and they felt like they were the only ones in the room.

Until Loly spoke, that is.

"Jun, do something!" she whined. "Don't you want to have some fun with Lucy? You have to try harder!"

Her husband shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I already tried, Loly. These two love each other, we gotta respect them and leave it at that. There's plenty of fish in the sea."

Loly grunted in frustration and threw her napkin on the table before marching out of the dining hall. Jun sighed before excusing himself as well, leaving Natsu and Lucy to finally tear their gazes away.

Natsu picked up his food in hopes of making everything less awkward, though it wasn't helping of course. He ducked his face behind his scarf, the blush on his cheeks unrelenting.

"W-What was that for, weirdo?" he stammered, his heart hoping for something he wasn't sure of. He didn't know what he wanted Lucy to say but he hoped it was good.

Lucy picked at her food and lied, "To uphold our cover. You heard Loly, she said our marriage was a sham. I had to prove her wrong."

Disappointment flooded Natsu and he tried to keep it out of his voice as he dumbly replied, "Oh." That definitely wasn't the answer he wanted, though he should've expected it. Lucy wasn't into him the way he was into her. She was into the pretty boys with dark hair and green eyes. The boys that read libraries' worth of books and had endless vocabularies. The boys that could sweep her off her feet with romantic, mushy gestures.

He wasn't like that at all.

He never read- the book they were currently reading being the first book he read in years- and he didn't have a vast vocabulary. He wasn't like the boys from Blue Pegasus, who were featured in Jason's articles for their good looks. No, he was featured for his destructive tendencies. He wasn't Lucy's type at all. It was dumb of him to get his hopes up.

"Well I'm done when you are," Lucy stated. She lost her appetite thanks to Loly and she really just wanted to get out of the dining hall. It was by far her least favorite place on the ship.

"Alright," Natsu replied.

The two's cheeks reddened as Lucy slid her hand into Natsu's. The boy glanced at their interlocked hands and gave a small smile. So what if Lucy didn't feel the same way about him? They were still best friends and partners. That was enough for him. Besides, at least he got to touch her for nearly two more weeks thanks to their pretend marriage.

And now he could say that he had kissed Lucy Heartfilia.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys liked this long chapter! :D This story is definitely fast paced. It has to be since it's only going to be 19 chapters and I plan on including smut lol. I really hope it isn't too fast though.

Thank you all for the lovely reviews! Here is a sneak peek:

 _As their turn came near, Lucy's panic grew. As long as she was the one to explain how Natsu proposed, they would be fine. She was a writer, after all. Making up stories was her bread and butter. Natsu, on the other hand, she believed wasn't as creative and would no doubt slip up._

 **Lunahartz:** Thanks for the review sis! And I know that this has nothing to do with the story but I liked the question so I'm going to answer lol. My favorite dragon slayer would have to be Gajeel lmao. Natsu is a VERY close second but I love Gajeel so much lol. He has great character development and I find him hilarious and relatable so yeah. :)

Thank you so much to the reviewers: **ThatOneFriend-3, waiting-for-you443, CupcakeGoddess22, HollyDragneel, westerngoddess, Milk Maiden, TigressRshai, Frosch 666, FairyRains, MasterGildarts, KitKat2648, Guestx2, Grizzly, Guest, zerophelia, IronicMelody23, Dragneel562, Adtrboy0916, biyiksizkedi, lareepqg, FlameDragonHime, OtakuPrincess28, sarara1.8, Soul Eater Maka, Barbatos lupus, Dinoadge, Alexa60765, Sblackw, Nalulove, Nalulove, turtle3334, Donthedragon26, leelovesher, bowlalie, Jakob Silverheart, Voltronic, ToukaKanekiUlle.** You guys are seriously amazing. :')


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** I'm finally out of school for the year. Sophomore year was terrible and I definitely need to get myself back on track. On a completely unrelated note, my birthday is coming up next month and I am STOKED. My birthday is July 15th, do I have any birthday twins here? :D

* * *

Chapter 7

Lucy clutched her pillow tight against her chest as she laid on the very edge of her side of the bed. Her face was dusted pink as she recalled the prior night at the dining hall. Thanks to Loly's lack of manners, the blonde had lost her cool and acted rashly by kissing Natsu.

Her best friend and partner whom she believed held no romantic feelings towards anyone whatsoever.

" _How did this happen?"_ Lucy wondered, suppressing a groan seeing as how Natsu was snoring beside her. His body heat rolled onto her and she could feel that he was mere inches away from her, which was why she was on the edge of the bed. " _How did I fall for Natsu of all people?"_

But it wasn't hard to figure out why. Lucy had only been in the guild for a short time, less than a year to be exact, but during that time, she could say without a doubt that Natsu had grown to become her favorite person. He always managed to make her laugh and even on her worst days, he somehow knew exactly what to say to cheer her up. Hell, he _uprooted a tree for her._

Despite invading her apartment every day and his brash tendencies, she had grown to love Natsu Dragneel.

And now she was pretending to be married to him.

" _Oh god,"_ Lucy thought, shoving her face against her pillow. " _This isn't going to end well at all. Natsu definitely doesn't feel the same way about me. Agh, stupid Lucy! You just had to fall for freaking Natsu of all people!"_

Gently rolling over so as not to disturb the sleeping boy beside her, Lucy studied his peaceful features. His scarf was still wrapped around his neck, though it didn't seem to bother him. His pink locks of hair were hanging loosely over his forehead rather than spiked like normal. His mouth was gaping open as he snored, drool dripping down his mouth and pooling around his head.

Yes, of all people in all of Earthland, she fell for Natsu.

A smile graced the blonde's lips. Whatever happened between them was Future Lucy's problem. For now, she was going to take advantage of their pretend marriage and indulge herself in fake romance with the boy she loved. Was it smart? Probably not. But hey, it was her first time falling in love with someone, of course she was going to take whatever she could get.

Just then, Natsu's onyx eyes opened, blinking and registering his surroundings. Lucy inhaled sharply, her cheeks burning bright. She wasn't expecting him to wake up yet and certainly not so randomly.

Natsu's heart stopped for a mere second seeing how close Lucy's face was to his own. Her chocolate brown eyes peered into his. His orbs darted towards her lips, the ones that he had tasted the night before.

"Yo," Natsu greeted, his voice soft.

"H-Hi," Lucy stuttered. She then got up and moved towards the bathroom. "I'm going to take a quick shower."

Natsu nodded wordlessly, staring up at the ceiling once the door closed. Bringing his hand up to his mouth, he let his fingers graze his lips. Things were getting complicated. Pretending to be married to Lucy _while_ hiding his feelings for her was proving to be more difficult than he originally thought. He thought they were just going to be holding hands and stuff. He was not expecting to kiss at all.

Not that he could say he minded, though.

* * *

About an hour later, the two were dressed and ready for the day ahead of them. They were going to a couple's bonding event being held in the lobby of the ship. It was risky for them to attend considering their relationship was a sham, but after Lucy found out that there was a small contest in which the winners would receive a prize, she couldn't help but want to go. After all, the winners would receive a gift certificate from HK, the most popular clothes line in all of Fiore- also one of the most expensive.

Lucy glanced towards Natsu's hand and swallowed thickly, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. Holding hands seemed much more intimate now that she realized her feelings towards the dragon slayer. Grabbing Natsu's hand with her own, she felt the corners of her lips twitch upwards into a satisfied smile. She was holding hands with the guy she loved, of course she would be happy about that. She would be happier if he felt the same, but she would take what she could get.

Reaching the lobby, they found dozens of chairs forming a circle. Most of the circle was filled up with couples and in the center of the circle was an employee. She was a plump, older woman with auburn hair and green eyes. There were wrinkles on her face from age and she wore a kind smile. In her hands were papers and the gift certificate.

Natsu and Lucy took their seats at the circle, between two older couples. Once the circle filled up, it was time to start.

"Hello, everyone!" the attendant greeted joyously. "My name is Ning. I hope you are all enjoying yourselves on this cruise! Is everyone ready to start our couple seminar?" People cheered, prompting her to continue. "Alright, first we will go around in a circle. Everyone is going to introduce themselves. One person from each couple will tell how you and your significant other met, and the other will tell us about the proposal! Let's start with you two here!"

The couple stood and introduced themselves before one explained how they met. Lucy's eyes widened as she bit her lower lip in panic. She and Natsu never made any fake stories about their relationship and they were sitting close to the start. And it wasn't like they could just make one now without being heard.

Glancing towards Natsu to see his take on the situation, Lucy wasn't surprised to see an uninterested expression plastered to his face while he leaned back in his chair. It was clear that he wasn't interested in all of the people's stories. She couldn't blame him, though. Everyone's stories so far were terribly mushy and no doubt overexaggerated. Even Lucy, the hopeless romantic, rolled her eyes at a few of the stories.

As their turn came near, Lucy's panic grew. As long as she was the one to explain how Natsu proposed, they would be fine. She was a writer, after all. Making up stories was her bread and butter. Natsu, on the other hand, she believed wasn't as creative and would no doubt slip up.

"That was a wonderful story!" Ning gushed once the couple to the left of Lucy finished their stories. Her eyes then landed on the anxious blonde. "Alright! It's your guys' turn! Oh, it looks like we have ourselves some newlyweds!"

Lucy gave an awkward chuckle as she stood up. Natsu stood and crossed his arms behind his head.

"I'm Lucy Heartfilia," the blonde said with a polite bow.

"Name's Natsu Dragneel," the boy stated.

"Oh! You kept your last name!" Ning noted.

Lucy nodded. "Uhh, yes. I did."

"Alright, Lucy. Go ahead and tell us about how you two met!"

The blonde swallowed thickly. Asking to switch roles would have brought more attention to them than they already had. And things were already risky enough. She would just have to leave it to Natsu.

Thinking back to the day she had first met Natsu and Happy, the girl couldn't help but smile nostalgically.

"It was back in the summer," Lucy began, her smile growing. "I was on my own and looking for a guild to join. Oh, I'm a mage, by the way. Anyways, this creep tricked me into thinking he was part of this guild that I've wanted to join since I was a little girl. I went along with him onto his ship and just when things were started to go wrong, Natsu showed up and saved the day. Then he brought me with him back to the guild that I always wanted to join."

Everyone in the circle stared at the couple, their eyes wide and mouths hanging. So far, all of the stories were sweet, romantic, and cliché. They didn't involve any creeps or fighting.

Lucy glanced towards Natsu, who was grinning down at her. Their story was odd, but it was one that they looked back on with smiles. If it wasn't for that fateful encounter, Lucy would probably be married to some snob and Natsu would be going on jobs with only Happy all the time. Thanks to Bora, they were able to become best friends.

"Umm, that's… nice?" Ning said. Clearing her throat, she turned to Natsu and continued, "Your turn! Tell us all about how you proposed!"

Natsu's grin faltered. He hadn't thought about a fake story to tell, hoping that Lucy would have this end of the stick instead. Wracking his brain for ideas, he thought about how he would propose if he ever did. He never saw himself getting engaged or even being in a relationship. Hell, he never even pictured himself having feelings for someone until Lucy showed up. Just how would he propose?

With a shrug, Natsu explained, "I just took her to the guild and did it there."

"That's it?" Ning asked. "No flowers or anything?"

"Nah," the boy answered. A toothy grin graced his face as he continued, "Why do I need all that stuff?"

"Well to increase your chances of her saying yes, I presume!"

"Lucy doesn't need all that fancy stuff. Lucy's the kind of person that cares about people, not things. 'Sides, if I need all that extra crap just to get her to say yes, then she's not the one for me."

"I see. Well do you think you can give us some more details?"

Lucy winced, knowing that details weren't something Natsu was good with, especially when it was on the spot. Curious as to what he would say, she glanced at him.

Natsu turned to face Lucy and grinned almost mischievously. "Lucy loves the guild, so I took her there. Everyone at Fairy Tail is family, so I had to make sure they were there. Everyone was fighting like usual and after kicking Gray's ass, I got on one knee and asked her to marry me. We don't have rings though because of rent and stuff. Lucy was all like, ' _Oh Natsu, I never thought you'd ask!'_ And she said yes. We drank all night and Erza ate all of the cake that was meant for us."

Everyone stared at the two as if they were crazy, and perhaps they were for Lucy was obviously struggling to keep from laughing. She didn't know what was funnier, the fact that she was expecting something more romantic for some reason or the fact that she could totally see something like that happening if Natsu ever did propose to her.

"Okay…" Ning said with an awkward chuckle. "Umm, how about we go to the next couple now?"

Lucy and Natsu sat back down, grinning at each other.

"Really?" the former asked in a whisper. "You had to throw in that you were fighting Gray?"

Natsu gave her a toothy grin and nodded. "Had to make it realistic, you know."

"That is true. When isn't there a day you are fighting Gray?"

"Only because he starts it."

"Sure, sure. And for your information, I would never be like, ' _Oh Natsu, I never thought you'd ask!'_ Idiot."

Natsu smirked and asked, "Oh yeah? How would you reply then?"

Lucy placed a finger over her chin in thought. "Well I liked the thought of being proposed to at the guild, that was good on your part. But I wouldn't say something like that! I would just say yes."

"Really?" the boy asked, arching a brow. "You'd say yes to that?"

Lucy's cheeks flushed pink and she turned away from him. "W-Well yeah. The guild is my favorite place and everyone would be there. That's all I need. Is that weird?"

"Nah," Natsu answered, smiling at her. "You're weird, but that isn't weird."

The two then quieted down and listened to the rest of the couples finish their stories. When everyone finished, Ning instructed the groups to separate, boys sitting on one side and girls on the other for the next activity. Ning and some other attendants that joined handed everyone a whiteboard and a marker and announced they were going to be doing a couple's trivia tournament.

"The rules are simple," Ning said. "I will ask either the boys or the girls to answer a question about their partners. My colleagues and I will check to see if their answer is correct. And don't try showing your partners the answers, alright? My colleagues and I will be watching closely and if we see any cheating you're automatically disqualified."

Lucy stood on the side with the other girls. Her marker was uncapped and she was ready to play. She wasn't too sure how she would do. After all, she had only known Natsu less than a year. She still had much to learn about him.

"Is everyone ready?" Ning asked. "Okay, we'll start now! Ladies, write down your favorite colors." She gave them a few seconds to write before turning to the boys. "Alright, boys. Now you write down your wife's favorite color!" After giving them a few seconds, Ning ordered everyone to hold their whiteboards high in the air to prevent anyone from erasing their answers.

Since all of the girls were lined up opposite of the boys but lined up with their partners, all the attendants had to do was match them up and check their whiteboards. Lucy glanced towards Natsu's and saw him grin as he held his up. Of course, he had answered correctly with pink. After all, it was the color of her emblem.

"Alright, those that got the answer wrong are now out of the tournament!" Ning announced. Couples groaned as they were forced to leave the lines and wait on the sidelines for the next activity. "Since I started with an easy question, there's still a lot of you left, I see. Alright ladies, what is your husband's favorite food? Men, go ahead and write your answer down too."

Lucy frowned. What was Natsu's favorite food? He loved spicy food, she knew that. But he also loved meat. But then again, he ate _everything._ He cleared table's worth of food in instants. This was going to be tricky. With a sigh, she unconfidently wrote down 'everything.'

"Alright, time to show your answers!" Ning announced.

Lucy anxiously glanced towards Natsu, who was squinting to read her board. Then his eyes lit up and a fanged grin graced his face. Turns out her answer was right after all.

"You got it right!" Natsu called out to her.

"Barely," Lucy joked. "Only you would answer everything though."

With that, a lot of couples were kicked out of the tournament. The tournament continued, the questions getting harder and harder. They also became more personal. Lucy was surprised and excited to see that she and Natsu were in the top five couples. She didn't expect to do so well but now victory was in sight so long as she kept it up.

"Looks like we'll have a winner soon," Ning said with a smile. "Alright, ladies, write down your husband's favorite thing about you."

Lucy frowned in thought. Natsu's favorite thing about her? How the hell was she supposed to know that? It wasn't like he went around complimenting her every day. They weren't actually married, after all. Not knowing what else to go with, Lucy opted for writing down 'kindness' before quickly erasing it. She was always teasing him and kicking him out of her apartment, he probably didn't think of her as kind. Running out of time, the blonde hastily scribbled down 'eyes.'

Was she going to get it wrong? Probably.

"Okay, everyone! Lift up your whiteboards!" Ning instructed.

Not wanting to see her failure yet, Lucy looked at the other couples' answers first. One of the other girls answered her boobs while the other girls wrote down their personalities. Lucy sighed and glanced towards Natsu to find him holding back a laugh.

"Your eyes? Really?" he teased with a smirk.

"Oh hush," Lucy replied, sticking her tongue out at him. "You didn't get a hard question like this!" Glancing upwards to the whiteboard her partner was holding up, her eyes narrowed and a vein ticked in her forehead. "You wrote down my _weirdness?_ What the hell kind of answer is that!?"

Natsu laughed and replied, "A perfect answer! You're weird and that's my favorite thing about you!"

"You're hopeless."

"And we have a winner!" Ning announced.

Lucy glanced towards the winners to find that the couple that answered 'boobs' won. Honestly, she wasn't even too upset about it. At least they were honest about it.

Everyone handed back their whiteboards and markers before returning to their seats. Once Ning and the rest of the attendants put the supplies away, she returned to the middle of the circle.

"This will be our closing activity," she said. "Even though the winners have already been announced, we should still finish strong! So, I want everyone to go around and remind their partners why they love them! Then, I want you two to kiss! Keep it PG, of course!"

Lucy blushed immediately. So they were going to have to kiss? Her body tingled with excitement and fear. Had this happened yesterday, she would've tried to back out. But now that she knew her feelings, she was looking forward to her turn.

Glancing towards Natsu to see his reaction, she found that he seemed unfazed by the whole ordeal. His face was a blank slate void of emotion. It hurt a little knowing that he wasn't excited like she was but she pushed the negativity aside in favor of listening to the other couples.

Meanwhile, Natsu was a mess. On the inside, of course. He was good at keeping his emotions in check, but on the inside he was scared. He didn't want to kiss Lucy. Well, he did, but he didn't want her to be forced into kissing him. Surely that would put her in a bad mood.

Still, there was some excitement for it all. Ever since last night, he couldn't help but stare at Lucy's pink, plump lips that seemed to be calling his name. He longed to kiss her again, and this time actually kiss back.

When it became their turn, the two of them stood up just as the couples before them had when it was their turns. Lucy played with the hem of the tank top Natsu had bought for her, her cheeks stained a bright pink. Her mind was too absorbed with thoughts of their impending kiss, she had forgotten she had to say why she loved Natsu.

Swallowing thickly, Lucy forced herself to face Natsu and meet his gaze. Her face was flooded with heat and she wanted to tear her gaze away in embarrassment but refused. It had to look believable since they were supposed to be married.

"Natsu," she began, trying to collect her thoughts. "I-I love you for always being able to make me laugh. You always cheer me up when I'm feeling down and I'm grateful for that. You're always there to protect me and make every day one full of laughter. But most importantly, you turned my boring life into one of adventure. Thanks to you, I made friends and joined the guild. That is why I'm in love with you."

Lucy finally tore her gaze away in embarrassment. That last line sounded much more real than she intended it to. Everything she said was real and she felt it all, but Natsu didn't need to know that.

Peeking up at him through her lashes, Lucy found that Natsu's cheeks were bright pink and his onyx eyes were widened in surprise. He stared at her and she could see something in his eyes, though she couldn't name it.

Natsu cleared his throat and ducked his face behind his scarf. His heart was beating a mile a second, threatening to rip out of his chest. He wasn't expecting her to say such things. For a second, he actually found himself believing her. She really pulled the big guns out, he had to do the same.

"Lucy," he started, his voice low. "You're one of the nicest people I know, and that's important to me. You're also funny as hell, especially when you're annoyed. You're really strong too, a lot stronger than you think. But above all, you're the weirdest person I know. You say and do weird things that I'm sure nobody else would do and I find it really amusing. A-And that is why I love you too."

Lucy felt tears prick her eyes. While other boys in the circle commented on their wives' looks, Natsu didn't say anything at all about her appearance. She wasn't offended, however, because his words meant so much more. They were the sweetest words anyone had ever said to her and that is why she wasted no time wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning closer to him.

Before her eyes drooped closed, Lucy saw Natsu lean in as well, this time having expected the kiss. His hands landed on her hips and gently pulled her closer to him. Their eyes closed and their warm breaths washed over each other's faces before finally their lips met.

It was nothing more than a quick peck and didn't have too much pressure behind it, but the passion it held was enough to make up for it. Lucy longed to deepen the kiss like she had read in books but pulled away reluctantly. Her eyes felt heavy as she opened them and her body felt light as a feather.

"Wow, I can just feel the love from this couple!" Ning exclaimed while other couples cooed.

Lucy glanced towards Natsu and nearly gasped at the sight of his onyx eyes boring into her soul. His stare was so deep, she felt raw. Exposed. Her eyes darted to his lips and without intending to she licked her own lips. What she would give to kiss him again.

"Alright, how about the next couple?" Ning said, gesturing for the next couple to stand up.

Natsu and Lucy took that as their cue to return to their seats. They kept their gazes glued to just about anything other than the other person, too embarrassed. Their hearts still thumped loudly within their chests and their bodies were still flooded with warmth, but with no way to act on their feelings anymore, they pushed their desires to the back of their minds and tried to focus on the rest of the couples' stories.

* * *

When everyone else finished with their turns, the group activity was finally concluded. It was eight o'clock, leaving Natsu and Lucy only an hour left before the dining hall closed. Not wanting to stay up all night with growling stomachs, the two headed towards the dining room, albeit reluctantly. After their awkward dinner with Loly and Jun last night, they weren't looking forward to a possible rerun.

To their surprise and relief, however, the Madokas weren't at the dining hall, leaving the two alone to eat. After ordering their meals, they sat in a heavy silence, still unable to look at each other. Lucy was almost starting to believe having Loly there would've been less awkward than their uncomfortable silence.

When they finished their meals, the two returned to their bedroom for the day. Lucy briskly entered the bathroom after grabbing some pajamas. Closing the door behind her, the blonde leaned against it and released a heavy breath.

" _I kissed Natsu again,"_ she thought, placing her fingers over her lips. " _But this time he kissed back too."_

Lucy knew that their kisses weren't perfect. Though they gave her a rush of adrenaline and warmth, she was still unexperienced and she assumed Natsu was as well. Nobody's first kiss was perfect. And their two kisses weren't exactly in the right setting for real practice. Their kisses were stiff and not expected of a married couple.

After changing into a pink, silky nightgown, Lucy left the bathroom to find Natsu laying nonchalantly in bed. It seemed he had recovered from their brief kiss as he smothered a small flame in his hand and gave her a small grin.

"Yo, Luce," he said.

The said girl smiled shyly and replied, "You shouldn't be playing with your magic here. You light the bed on fire and you're paying for it yourself."

"Aww c'mon, Luce. Not even gonna help me pay for it?"

"Nope."

Lucy climbed into bed beside Natsu, their arms flushed against each other. Her cheeks warmed and she stared at the ceiling, embarrassed about what she was about to suggest. Still, it was something that needed to be said with their situation.

"Hey, Natsu…" Lucy began, poking her fingers together while her cheeks burned crimson.

"Yeah?" he asked, turning his head towards her with an arched brow.

"Our k-kisses… Well, I, uhh… I haven't been kissed before."

"…Yeah?" Natsu frowned. It seemed like Lucy was regretting that they had kissed and that she had her first kiss with him.

"Mhmm. H-Have you?"

"Nah."

"Well, since we're supposed to be married and all… Maybe we should, umm, practice."

"Practice?"

"Y-Yeah. That way it isn't so obvious, you know? Married couples aren't supposed to be stiff and awkward when they kiss."

"So our kisses were awkward?"

Lucy cursed inwardly, hearing the disappointment in Natsu's voice. Trying to make amends, she quickly answered, "No! Well, I mean, yeah. A little… But it was still good!"

"It was?"

"Well, yeah... Did you think it was good?"

"Y-Yeah."

"T-That's good."

The two laid in an awkward silence. Lucy fidgeted and played with the ends of her hair, her face red. She wondered if suggesting such a thing made her feelings obvious.

"So when do you want to practice?" Natsu asked, his voice cutting into their silence.

"You mean you want to?" Lucy asked, her eyes widened a fraction with hope.

"Well we have to, right? To make sure we look married and stuff."

"Right." Lucy truthfully felt a bit disappointed with the fact that Natsu was only kissing her because he had to but pushed it aside. As long as she got to taste his lips, she didn't care about his reasoning. "D-Do you want to try now?"

Natsu swallowed thickly and nodded. "Sure."

The two sat up and turned to face each other. Their faces were red but neither of them said anything about it. Instead, they scooted closer, their eyes darting to the other's lips. Both were excited and yet a bit fearful, scared of what this would do to their friendship. And yet they both abandoned their fears and leaned in closer to each other.

Their lips brushed against each other softly for the second time that day, causing their hearts to soar within their chests. Now that they were alone and able to test the waters, they pushed their lips harder against each other. Something still wasn't right, however, until Natsu opened his mouth a little and took in Lucy's bottom lip and gave it a light suck.

Lucy's eyes opened from the pleasant surprise and she gave a small squeal. Natsu, not wanting to interrupt their kiss for Lucy's embarrassment, brought his hand to the back of her head and pulled her closer. Lucy gave a pleased hum and allowed her eyes to close once again. Her body moved on its own as she wrapped her arms around Natsu's neck.

Tilting their heads to get a better angle, the two deepened the kiss. With that, fire ignited within the two. _This_ is what they were missing out on. _This_ is what their kisses had been lacking.

Natsu placed his hands on Lucy's hips, a growl resonating in his throat. The sound excited the girl and caused a shiver to rake through her body. Her lower region tingled and her breaths grew shaky. To think that she had been missing out on this her whole life was shocking.

The two pulled away, gazing into each other's lust-filled eyes. Both wanting to lean in and steal another kiss but chose against it, not wanting to push things too far.

"How was that?" Natsu asked in a husky voice, the corner of his lips curling into a confident smirk.

"Th-That was better," Lucy answered shyly. "But… But it wouldn't hurt to practice again sometime. We wouldn't want everyone to find out we aren't married, you know?"

Natsu grinned. "Sounds good to me." He then climbed under the covers and laid down. Reaching for their book, he handed it to the blonde. "Let's read a chapter and then call it a night."

"Wow, Natsu Dragneel actually wants to read? Shocking."

"Ha ha, very funny."

The two shared a quick laugh as Lucy laid down in bed beside him under the cover. Lucy didn't say anything as Natsu wrapped his arm around her shoulder. And in turn, Natsu didn't comment when Lucy snuggled closer to him. Instead, they started to read their book together, their hearts light and content until eventually they fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

 **AN:** How was that? :D Too much kissing? Not enough kissing? :D Here's the preview of the next chapter:

 _The two sat cross legged on the floor. Lucy got their new deck of cards and began to shuffle them. She couldn't shuffle as perfectly as Cana could, but she could at least do the bridge._

 _Once the deck was properly shuffled, she handed seven cards to both of them._

 _"What are we playing?" Natsu asked with an eager grin._

 _"Go Fish!" Lucy answered._

 _Natsu pouted. "What? That game is for kids. Let's make it more fun!"_

 _"How?"_

 _A mischievous grin graced the boy's face as he answered, "Let's make it like strip poker!"_

Hope you guys liked the sneak peek! ;D

 **fairytaillif3:** I've been thinking of adding a few epilogue chapters, but we'll see. :) It depends on if I can wrap things up well or not lol.

Thank you to everyone that reviewed: **Kirabaros, ThatOneFriend-3, ShanaHollows, waiting-for-you443, Guest, FairyTailLover04, Holly Dragneel, sarara1.8, Grizzly98, chocolatecatsconfusion, Dinoadge, FairyRains, CupcakeGoddess22, Milk Maiden, zerophelia, lareepqg, MasterGildarts, Soul Eater Maka, Zodiacfiend, Guest, NaLu-4tw, fairytaillif3, Alexa60765, FlameDragonHime, Lunahartz, Mannyegb, Lunacross777, leelovesher, Nalulove, Rei, BigKahuna51, LoveroftheWord, Voltronic, FantasyWorld24, ToukaKanekiUlle, turtle3334, Tohka123, Celestialwizzard, Stacey Ell, fairytail0630, imagination l exploration, sophie613.**


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** Hi guys! I'm in a really good mood because I've finally declared my major officially! It's set! I am majoring in Japanese with a teaching endorsement! :D Anyways, enjoy this chapter! :D

* * *

Chapter 8

A bright smile was plastered to the girl's face as she walked beside her partners. She had been away from the guild for a whole week on a job, which meant that she was also away from a certain iron-eating dragon slayer she was completely head over heels for. And though their relationship wasn't official in the slightest, she still missed the boy and longed to be near him again.

Opening the grand doors of the guild, Levy McGarden stepped inside the guild and immediately searched for Gajeel Redfox. Her breath hitched in her throat from excitement when she found him sitting at his usual table in the corner along with Pantherlily. She briskly walked towards them, eager to finally talk to Gajeel after a whole week.

Gajeel's eyes landed on her as she approached. "You're back."

"Yep!" Levy replied, giving him a smile. Her cheeks dusted pink as she sat across from him. "How's the guild been since I was gone?"

The dragon slayer gave a disinterested shrug and answered, "The usual, I guess. Nothing interesting happened."

"Don't lie to her like that, Gajeel," someone else chimed in. Levy turned to find Erza approaching them, her arms crossed over her armor-covered chest. "What about what is happening with Lucy and Natsu?"

"Tsk. Who cares about what Salamander and Bunny Girl are doing?" Gajeel asked.

"Considering you put money in the bet too, I would assume you do."

Levy glanced around the guild in search of the said two. With a quirked brow, she questioned, "Where is Lu-chan anyways? She's usually here by now."

"She's with Natsu," Erza answered with a smug smirk.

Other members of the guild circled around them to get in on the conversation. Everyone was grinning, informing Levy that something interesting had happened between her fellow bookworm and respective dragon slayer. Everyone had known that something was bound to happen between the two eventually and their feelings were obvious.

Hopeful that her best friend had made strides in her love life, Levy asked with a wide smile, "What's going on with Lu-chan and Natsu?"

"I'll explain!" Happy said, flying onto the table by Pantherlily. "They're on a couple's cruise!"

"What!? How did that happen?"

"Lucy signed them up for it without even reading the whole pamphlet!"

"And now we're betting on them," Cana added, taking a swig from her flask. "Most of us think that they're probably getting it on right now or at least will at some point during their cruise." Pointing at Gray she continued, "And some people think that Natsu doesn't have the balls to make a move."

Mira covered Wendy's ears. "Language, Cana."

The brunette shrugged and gave an unapologetic grin. "Gajeel here placed his money with Gray. Wanna join in, Levy?"

Levy glanced at Gajeel and gave a smug grin. "Yes I would! I have full confidence that something is going to happen between them!" Sure, money was tight at the moment and gambling wasn't the wisest thing to do. But hey, the odds were in her favor. "It's a couple's cruise! That's got to be romantic! Good for Lu-chan!"

"Gihi, you're 'bout to lose some money, Shrimp," Gajeel jibed.

"No way! Natsu and Lu-chan are probably doing something romantic as we speak!"

* * *

Natsu sneezed as he was dragged alongside Lucy. His cheeks were green and puffy, his stomach churning with each step. Waking up with motion sickness everyday was horrible and part of him couldn't wait to get home. On the other hand, however, he was able to kiss Lucy on the boat, so perhaps it wasn't too bad.

Lucy groaned as Natsu grew heavier. Luckily, they were reaching the front desk, where the attendant was expecting them.

Lucy was a tad annoyed. It wasn't Natsu's fault that he had motion sickness and she didn't blame him for it. But it definitely killed the mood that they had just a few moments ago.

 _Lucy had just woken up after a good night's rest, her head resting over Natsu's arm and her arms wrapped around Natsu's side. Her legs straddled one of his, taking in all of the heat she could get. Not as embarrassed as yesterday morning, the girl calmly sat up, though her cheeks still warmed at the thought of cuddling with Natsu._

 _Thanks to her movements, Natsu woke up a moment later, a loud yawn escaping his mouth as he stretched. Sitting up, he gave the blonde a fanged grin as they sat side by side._

 _After their kissing session last night, the two felt incredible. Their hearts were light and they didn't have any cares in the world. Even if neither knew that the other reciprocated their feelings, they were happy to be getting what they were._

 _"Good morning," Lucy said, smiling shyly at him._

 _"Morning," Natsu replied, scratching his head. "What's the plan for today?"_

 _"I was thinking we could eat breakfast and then take a walk around ship, see what else it has to offer."_

 _"How much stuff can one boat have?"_

 _"It's a pretty big boat."_

 _Natsu shrugged and leaned back against the headboard, crossing his arms behind his head. His eyes darted to Lucy's lips, itching to taste them once again. And with their alias, he now had the ability to make that happen._

 _"There are going to be a lot of attendants out," Natsu said uninterestedly. "Sounds kinda risky."_

 _"Really?" Lucy asked, arching a brow. "We're just going to be walking around though."_

 _"Can't be too careful on a couple's cruise, you know? Maybe we should practice some more like we did last night," Natsu suggested, his cheeks turning pink._

 _Lucy began to blush as well and she averted her gaze. Either Natsu matured overnight and was overly cautious or he actually just wanted to kiss her. The blonde hoped for the latter but she wasn't sure. And even if he did want to kiss her, she figured it was because it was a new experience for him, just as it was for her._

 _But hey, she wasn't going to question him. Not when it allowed her to kiss him again._

 _"You're right," Lucy said, scooting closer to Natsu. "A little more practice wouldn't hurt."_

 _Natsu nodded and swallowed thickly, glad that his plan had worked. He leaned closer to Lucy, his heart speeding up after noticing she was leaning in as well. Their breaths fanned their faces and their lips were just about to graze each other's when Natsu gave a pathetic whimper and covered his mouth with his hands. His cheeks puffed out and sweat dotted his now pale face._

 _"Damn…" he choked out, rushing to the bathroom and hurling what felt like all of his insides into the toilet._

 _A vein ticked in Lucy's forehead as she sat on the bed in a catatonic state. Leave it to Natsu to get motion sick just when he was about to kiss her._

So yes, Natsu had ruined the mood for her and left her longing for kisses. Who could blame her for being annoyed over that?

After the mage casted the spell on Natsu, the two walked hand in hand onto the deck. Everyone was swimming or lounging in the sun per usual. Having already explored all of the shops, there truly wasn't much left for them to see.

Reaching the opposite end of the ship, they found a door with a neon sign hanging over it. Glancing inside the place, they found that it was a club, where only a handful of people were inside at the moment considering it was still morning time.

"I didn't know there were clubs on cruises," Lucy said. She had never been to a club before.

"Wanna go in?" Natsu asked, smirking at her.

"No way! What makes you think I would want to go to a club?"

"C'mon, let's do it for Cana! She'll kill us if she finds out that we didn't drink at all during this trip!"

"Then don't tell her!"

"Don't be a stick in the mud, Luce!"

"Whatever," Lucy huffed, crossing her arms. "How about we just have a relaxing day then?"

"What do you mean?" Natsu asked. "I thought every day here was a relaxing day?"

"Well I meant we could just relax in our room. We could go get some games and play!"

Natsu shrugged, not really caring either way. As long as he was with Lucy, he was down for anything. Not to mention that they could try kissing again if they were in their room. They stopped by one of the shops and bought a deck of cards and a couple of board games.

Before returning back to their room, the two went to the dining hall to eat breakfast. Loly and Jun weren't there again, much to their relief. They hoped they could go the rest of the trip without seeing them.

After a quick breakfast, the two headed back to their room. There was a paper attached to their door. Lucy grabbed it and began to read it.

"What is it?" Natsu asked.

"I guess there's a special desert planned for tonight at eight," Lucy answered.

"What for?"

"This is our last night before we get to our destination."

"Destination? What do you mean?"

"The point of a cruise is to stop somewhere fun. Did you think that we were going to be on a boat for two whole weeks?"

Natsu grinned and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, giving the answer Lucy was looking for. She giggled and led the way into the room.

The two sat cross legged on the floor. Lucy got their new deck of cards and began to shuffle them. She couldn't shuffle as perfectly as Cana could, but she could at least do the bridge.

Once the deck was properly shuffled, she handed seven cards to both of them.

"What are we playing?" Natsu asked with an eager grin.

"Go Fish!" Lucy answered.

Natsu pouted. "What? That game is for kids. Let's make it more fun!"

"How?"

A mischievous grin graced the boy's face as he answered, "Let's make it like strip poker!"

"No way!" Lucy replied, her face burning crimson at the thought of stripping in front of Natsu. A familiar, tingling sensation erupted between her thighs, however, at the thought of Natsu stripping in front of her. That only caused her blush to increase tenfold.

"You scared of losing?"

"Of course not!"

"Then give me a reason!"

Lucy opened her mouth to retort but came up short. She didn't want to seem scared and she couldn't deny that she wanted to see more of Natsu, though she would never say it aloud. Swallowing thickly, the blonde mustered whatever courage she could resolve and held out a hand.

"You're on," she said, grinning defiantly at the boy.

Natsu returned the grin with one of his own and replied, "Yosh! I'm all fired up!" They shook hands in agreement before Lucy reshuffled the cards. Once finished, she handed out a new set of seven cards each.

"So how are we doing this?" Lucy asked nervously.

Natsu shrugged. "Loser has to take off something. Go Fish is fast paced so each game will go by fast."

Lucy swallowed thickly and nodded. With that, the two picked up their cards and studied them. Lucy gave a happy squeal noticing that she had two pairs, leaving her with only three cards. Glancing over to Natsu, she found that he didn't have any pairs.

"Looks like I'm going to win the first round," Lucy teased with a heavy smirk.

Natsu grinned, liking the girl's feisty side. "We'll see. I'll go first! You got a two?"

The blonde pouted and handed over the two. Still, even if he had a pair now, she was still in the lead.

"Do you have a seven?" Lucy asked with hope.

"Nope! Go fish!"

The game went on like that for a couple more minutes until Lucy got the seven she needed. In the end, she had three pairs while Natsu had two.

"Ha! You have to strip!" Lucy exclaimed, her cheeks rosy.

Natsu grinned and took off his vest with a shrug. Lucy frowned slightly. That wasn't as exciting as she expected. After all, she saw his abs just about every day. Of course they still made her swoon, but the action itself wasn't as riveting as books portrayed stripping games to be.

So, they played again.

"Do you have a three?"

"Go fish. Do you have a nine?"

"Go fish. Got a five?"

Eventually, their second round ended, this time Natsu being the winner.

"Your turn, Luce," he said, smirking at the girl. His voice was husky and alluring.

Lucy had never been more relieved in her life to be wearing more clothes than usual. With a sly grin, the blonde removed one sock.

"There you go!" Lucy said.

"Cheater," Natsu replied, but the smile on his face betrayed his words. "Oh well, you'll be losing the next few games too."

"Will not!"

But she did end up losing the next game. Oh well, she just had to take off her other sock. There was no harm in that.

Except she ended up losing the game after that as well.

Lucy removed her red leather jacket, revealing a black tank top underneath. She counted how many articles of clothing she had left and paled realizing she didn't have much. She only had her tank top and her jeans left before she was left in her underwear. At least she was wearing cute underwear if it came down to it. Lacy, pink underwear to be exact, along with a matching bra.

"So what are you going to take off next when you lose?" Natsu asked with a smug grin plastered to his face.

Lucy stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm not going to lose."

"But if you did?"

"Well… I guess it would be my shirt."

Natsu's grin grew mischievously. "Well let's go then!"

Lucy bit her lower lip nervously as she dealt the cards. Much to her relief, she had been blessed with luck and had three pairs, leaving her just one card.

"Oi! You must've cheated!" Natsu shouted, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I didn't!" she replied. "Don't be a sore loser!"

"Hey, I haven't lost yet!" But then he promptly lost once she asked for his Queen, which was her last card. "Damn. Alright then." Natsu shrugged as he stood up.

Lucy arched a brow at him. Why was he standing up? Wasn't he just going to take off his scarf?

Nope.

Instead, Natsu removed his pants, leaving him in a pair of boxers along with his scaly scarf. Lucy's face was immediately set ablaze. To make matters worse, she couldn't tear her gaze away from his groin, able to see a soft bulge from underneath the soft material. The tingling sensation between her thighs grew to a slight ache.

Lucy's throat became dry and constricted. Struggling to find words, she eventually choked out, "W-Why didn't you just take off your scarf?"

"Because I never take off my scarf," Natsu answered with a shrug. "Well, I guess if I lose the next one I will."

Lucy reshuffled the deck and passed out cards once again. Things were getting intense quickly. Since Natsu didn't wear much clothes to begin with, all he had left was his scarf and boxers. She wasn't sure how she would react seeing his whole package, but she knew that her heart would probably beat out of her chest. On the other hand, if she lost, she was screwed as well. Not as much as Natsu, but still screwed.

Anxiously picking up her cards, Lucy studied them and she paled. She had no pairs at all. Glancing towards her opponent, she found that he had two pairs and a smug grin on his face.

"Do you have an Ace?" Lucy asked. To her chagrin, the boy shook his head.

"Go fish! Do you have a six?"

"Go fish. Do you have a Queen?"

"Damn," Natsu muttered, handing the blonde the card.

Lucy sighed in relief and moved the two cards aside. "Do you have a three?"

"Go fish." He smirked as he asked, "Do you have an Ace?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at the boy and handed him the card.

Natsu accepted it and asked, "Do you have a four?"

"Go fish. Do you have a-"

"Wait I picked up a four!" Natsu interrupted. With a wide grin, he put down his last pair.

Lucy's breath hitched in her throat. He won.

"Get stripping!" Natsu teased, loving every second of this.

Lucy muttered under her breath and brought her fingers to the hem of her tank top. Throwing all of her cares away, she quickly took it off and threw it behind her.

Natsu's cheeks warmed as he intently watched her take off her shirt. His eyes glazed over her chest and his groin twitched uncomfortably in his boxers. Maybe strip Go Fish was a bad idea. But then again, how else would he have been able to see Lucy's barely clad chest in a lacy pink bra? Her large breasts were barely covered by the lace and threatened to spill out. Her cleavage was plain as day and his fingers itched to graze her soft skin.

Lucy kept her eyes trained on the wall to their left, her cheeks burning from embarrassment. She knew she was an attractive girl and she loved her body. Still, being so exposed in front of the boy she loved was a bit embarrassing and made her insecure.

"W-Well, let's keep going," Lucy said meekly.

Natsu gulped loudly and nodded. "Sure."

So, they played another round, this one not as exciting as the last. Lucy won by only one pair. With a shrug, Natsu removed his scarf.

This was nearing the danger zone. If Lucy lost, she would have to remove her shorts and be solely in her undergarments. If Natsu lost, he would be completely naked.

Lucy quickly shuffled and dealt the cards. Natsu fidgeted in his spot. It wasn't that he was embarrassed about being naked in front of Lucy. Hell, she had seen him naked before. The problem was that thanks to her tank top being removed, he was aroused. His boxers hid it well, but even they couldn't hide it perfectly. He had to sit with his knees to his chest in order to hide it from her.

But if he lost and had to take off his underwear, there was no way Lucy wouldn't see his hard dick. There just wouldn't be a way to hide it.

Lucy picked up her cards, her lower lip clamped between her teeth in anxiety. To her upmost dread, she didn't have a single pair. The only thing that kept her mildly calm was the fact that Natsu didn't seem to have any pairs either. So, with a frantically beating heart, she began the game by going first.

"Do you have a Jack?" Lucy asked. Natsu shook his head, prompting her to grab a card from the messy pile on the floor. She hoped she would pick up a card she needed, but alas, she picked up a four. Which she didn't need at all.

"You got a two?" Natsu asked. He felt abnormally warm. Usually being a fire dragon slayer and all, he never really noticed the feeling of warmth before. Not until he met Lucy. After meeting her, he always felt warm. But this was a burning sensation.

"Nope," Lucy answered, glad to see that he didn't pick up a useful card as well. "Do you have a nine?"

"Damn."

"Yay! Do you have a ten?"

"Nah."

The game continued for a while, longer than their previous games had lasted. Every time one of them had gotten close to finishing their deck, they would have a bad streak afterwards and gain cards. There weren't many cards left in the fishing pile. But finally, both were down to having one card and surprisingly they both had the same amount of pairs as well. It was as if the universe wanted to build suspension within them and break them slowly but surely. Whoever got the next pair would be the winner.

And the other person would have to strip.

Lucy's voice trembled as she asked, "Do you have a Queen?" Now he knew what card she had but it wasn't like it mattered. Both only had one card anyways.

"Nope," Natsu answered.

Lucy could hear the strain in his voice. He was nervous as well, he was just hiding it better. Truthfully, that made her feel a bit better. At least she wasn't the only scared one. Picking up a card, she sighed noting that it was a three and not the Queen she needed.

"Do you have a four?" Natsu asked.

"No."

Natsu reached for a card. Studying it, his eyes went wide and his jaw slacked. Immediately his groin tingled with excitement with what was to come. His eyes flashed towards Lucy, letting her know exactly what card he had picked up.

"Oh no," the blonde breathed out. "No, no, no."

"Sorry, Luce," Natsu replied after swallowing thickly. He put his two cards down, revealing two fours. He didn't sound apologetic in the slightest. "Looks like the pants are coming off. Unless you want to take off your bra instead."

"Don't say it aloud!" she shrieked in embarrassment. She covered her burning face with her hands. She was mortified.

"C'mon, Luce!"

"Why don't we just quit now?"

"Nope!"

"But Natsu!"

"Nope!"

"But-"

"Hurry up, Lucy!"

"Ugh, fine!"

Lucy stood up and grabbed the hem of her pants. Steam was practically blowing out of her ears with how embarrassed and hot she felt. Still, she had to honor their agreement.

" _It's just like being in a bathing suit,"_ she told herself, gulping loudly as she shimmied out of her tight jeans. She stood still, hugging herself in nothing but her pink, lacy undergarments. Her brown eyes shyly glanced towards Natsu. She was still embarrassed- which was understandable- but she wanted to see his reaction.

Natsu looked Lucy up and down, his mouth gaping open and drier than a desert. He started at her feet and worked his way up her creamy, slender legs which rounded at her curvy hips. Hips that he had placed his hands on as he kissed her before. His eyes glazed over her underwear, which was small and didn't cover as much as underwear probably should. Following the curves of her body, his eyes continued their journey up her body and landed on her ample breasts, which were made even more voluptuous thanks to Lucy hugging herself. His eyes traveled to her neck and he longed to suck the skin.

Finally, Natsu's eyes found Lucy's face as she stared back at him. Her lips were tugged into a slight frown. Her entire face burned crimson. Even in her most flustered state, she still looked gorgeous to him.

"W-Well?" Lucy asked, her voice shrill. "Say something!"

Natsu swallowed thickly, unable to tear his gaze away from her breasts. Not knowing what to say, he opted for the first thing that came to mind. "Is that a new bra?"

"What?"

"I've never seen it before. Happy and I go through your clothes every time we come over. That wasn't there last time."

"You two need to stop going through my stuff!"

"Why'd you get new underwear? You already have a lot," Natsu said, ignoring the girl's shouts.

Lucy looked away in embarrassment. In truth, she had bought it the day before. She was able to sneak away and go shopping for an hour on her own. That was when she saw the matching pair of undergarments. They were sexier than the other pairs she had and revealed a lot more of her skin. She didn't think that Natsu would be seeing her in them.

But she couldn't deny that part of her had hoped for it.

"So when'd you get them?" Natsu repeated, bringing Lucy out of her jumbled thoughts.

Lucy fiddled with her fingers and answered, "Yesterday when I went shopping."

"You bought underwear? Did you run out or something?" Natsu didn't know why he was asking all of these questions about her underwear. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he didn't know what else to say. Or maybe he was just getting words out to prolong the time that she would stay undressed.

"No, I didn't run out," Lucy answered, still unable to meet his gaze. "These ones are just… _nicer."_

"Nicer?"

"You know… sexier."

"Sexier? Was someone else supposed to see them?"

"No, of course not!"

A smirk ghosted Natsu's lips as he said, "Well I'm seeing them."

"Only because you wanted to play Strip Go Fish! You pervert!" Lucy shouted.

"Oi! I ain't a pervert! You agreed to it!"

"Whatever," Lucy muttered, crossing her arms. "So how long do we have to be like this? I'm not playing another game!"

Natsu grinned mischievously. "Until we go to dinner."

"What!?"

"Yep!"

"Now I know for sure you're a pervert."

The two glared at each other before erupting with giggles. Their faces were still flushed and they were still embarrassed but at the same time they were comfortable. Had Lucy been with anyone else- well, any other male- she wouldn't have been able to say the same. But with Natsu, she found herself still having a good time.

They played a few more games for fun until they settled beside each other on the bed to begin reading their book. Their skin was flushed against each other, reminding them of their lack of clothing. Neither commented on it, however, and they instead focused on reading. They were nearing the climax of the book, there was no time to be caught up in each other's bare flesh.

* * *

Hours later, it was time for the special dinner that night. Lucy decided to dress well, adorning a maroon dress that clung to her skin. It had a plunging neckline that revealed a majority of her breasts and was sure to turn a few heads. Natsu didn't bother changing into anything fancy- not that he had any fancy clothes to begin with- but he did take a moment to discreetly look the blonde over.

Reaching the dining hall, the two found that it was full with guests, all dressed up and seated at their tables. There wasn't an unattended table in sight, which hadn't happened since they boarded the ship considering people chose to eat at different times.

Lucy and Natsu tensed as they approached their table, which was occupied by two familiar people. Loly Madoka's head turned to the two and frowned immediately. Jun Madoka gave an uneasy smile.

"Hey, guys," Jude greeted awkwardly.

"Uhh, hi," Lucy replied in order to be polite. She glanced back towards Loly and frowned. Though she didn't like the girl, she did feel a bit bad with how she treated her. She usually opted for being the bigger person, otherwise it would leave her with a guilty conscious. "Hi, Loly."

The said girl glanced towards her and gave a nervous smile. "Hi, Lucy. Natsu."

Lucy and Natsu took their seats. A thick blanket of silence hovered over the group until Loly spoke up.

"I'm sorry about what happened last time we saw you guys," she grumbled. Her gaze was turned as she continued, "I guess I was a bit pushy."

"A bit?" Lucy repeated.

Loly regarded her with narrowed eyes. "Fine. I was really pushy. I'm sorry, alright?"

Lucy sighed. "It's fine as long as you don't try to get with Natsu again."

Natsu glanced towards Lucy with a quirked brow. It hadn't occurred to him before, but he couldn't help but think about it now.

Why did Lucy care if Loly tried to get with him?

The question swirled in his mind, confusing him. Why did it matter to her if they were only faking their relationship? It couldn't be to uphold their cover. After all, Loly and Jun were married, they simply had an open relationship. They could use that as an alibi as well. So why did it matter to her?

"I won't," Loly replied. "Jun and I actually found another couple in an open relationship so we've been getting it pretty good from them."

Natsu and Lucy blushed.

"Umm, that's nice," Lucy noted, glad that she didn't have to worry about Loly trying to take Natsu anymore.

With that, the conversation between the two couples was deemed over, allowing Natsu and Lucy to talk to each other as they ate. They had to raise their voices as the room was packed with other guests that were chatting idly.

Once Natsu and Lucy finished their meals, the Captain of the ship, whom they hadn't seen since the first day of the cruise, entered the room, a broad smile plastered to his face. He stood in the center of the room, exerting authority.

"Good evening, everyone," he greeted. "I hope you all are enjoying your stay on my ship. We will be arriving at Caelum Island tomorrow morning. Tonight, we have a special dessert for everyone!"

Four attendants pushed a large cart beside the Captain. Lucy and Natsu drooled at the sight of the dessert that was in a glass case on top of the cart. It had six layers of whipped cream, chocolate mousse, and maraschino cherries. It was the most beautiful thing they had ever laid eyes on.

"This is our Black Forest Mousse Desert!" the Captain said. "My crew will walk around and hand some out to anyone that wants some. I hope you all enjoy and I will see you tomorrow when we arrive at Caelum!"

With that, the Captain waved before exiting the dining hall.

Natsu and Lucy bounced excitedly in their seats as they grinned at each other, waiting to stuff their faces with the heavenly dessert. When an attendant asked them if they wanted any, their heads nearly flew off with how frantically they nodded their heads. The attendant scooped some of the mousse into fancy glass cups and handed it to the two.

Natsu and Lucy gave each other an eager grin before picking up a spoon and took a bite. They hummed in delight as they savored the sweet taste and went for another bite.

"I could live off of this stuff," Lucy said as she went in for another bite.

"Same," Natsu replied with a full mouth.

Usually Lucy would scold him for talking with his mouth full but at the moment she didn't care. She was just happy with her food.

However, the dining hall soon grew loud as everyone began to talk. Everyone tried to talk over each other so that their partners could hear. Lucy frowned, wishing for everyone to be quiet. The point of a cruise was to relax, and being in a room full of shouting adults was not relaxing in the slightest.

Natsu glanced towards Lucy, immediately seeing her discomfort. Able to read her like a book, he knew what to do. With a smile, he glanced around them to make sure nobody was watching before standing up. Lucy regarded him with arched brows.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Natsu jerked his head towards the exit, his grin unwavering. "Let's get out of here."

"But what about our food?"

"Bring it with you!"

"But we aren't allowed to bring our plates out of here!"

"That's why you hide it, Luce! Now come on, let's go!"

Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand and helped her to her feet before leading the way towards the exit. Lucy grinned, her heart racing with adrenaline. Sneaking out of the dining room with a few dishes wasn't bad compared to the fact that they were lying about their marriage, but it still excited and scared her.

Luckily, nobody was paying them any mind and they were able to slip out of the dining hall, their desserts in hand. They laughed as they walked briskly through the ship. There was nobody else around save for a few attendants at the front desk.

"Let's go to the pool!" Natsu suggested. "It's probably empty!"

"Okay," Lucy replied with a bright smile.

And sure enough, the pool was completely empty, the water gently waving from the breeze. The pool sparkled under the moonlight and was alluring. The two sat on benches and ate their dessert in a peaceful and content silence.

Once they finished, Natsu moved their glasses to the side and stood up. Giving Lucy a toothy grin, he removed his vest and stepped closer to the pool.

"Let's swim!" he exclaimed.

"What? No way! We don't have our bathing suits!" Lucy replied.

"So what? We don't need them! Just swim in that!"

"I'm not swimming in this dress!"

"Then take it off! C'mon, Luce! We just spent hours in our underwear together, it's the same thing! Let's go!"

Lucy bit her lower lip in thought. He had a point. And the pool did look enticing, even more so since nobody else was there. Her lips twitched upwards into a grin as she threw her worries to the side and stood up. Reaching behind her, she grabbed her low zipper and unzipped her dress before removing it completely, revealing her pink underwear and matching bra once again.

Natsu grinned, his cheeks warming at the sight of her flesh once again. Turning towards the pool, he cackled and jumped in, creating a large splash. Bobbing back out of the water, he gave her a mischievous grin and splashed water at her. Lucy laughed before running in and splashing beside him.

They stood in the shallow part of the pool, grinning at each other and basking in the moonlight. They were only mere inches apart and their cheeks were dusted a light pink.

"Now you're glad you followed me, aren't you?" Natsu asked with a grin.

"I guess," Lucy replied, returning the smile. Her eyes darted to his lips before quickly returning to his onyx eyes.

Natsu noticed her eyes move, a small warmth erupting within him. His eyes glazed over her. Her brown eyes shined bright and her wet, pink lips were enticing him. A lock of golden hair stuck to her face and without even realizing it, he brought his hand up and brushed it behind her with the rest of her hair.

Fire coursed through Lucy's veins as Natsu's hand retracted from her hair and went back to her cheek. He rubbed his thumb over her, causing a shiver to run through her body. She glanced at his lips again, realizing just how close they were to her own. She wanted to be closer.

Her arms moved on their own, wrapping around his neck and pulling him closer. Natsu's eyes widened and his blush deepened as Lucy pulled his face closer to hers and planted her lips over his, molding them together and sucking on his upper lip. Relaxing, he fisted her hair with one hand and moved his other onto her lower back, bringing their submerged bodies together.

He tilted his head to the side, a low growl resonating in his throat as he licked her lips. Lucy opened her mouth wider and gave his tongue access to hers. Their tongues grazed each other before massaging each other.

A soft moan escaped Lucy. She felt like she was on fire even though she was in the pool. All of her worries and doubts were gone in that moment. Instead, all she could think about was how _right_ everything felt. Their lips were sculpted for this purpose. Their bodies were created to touch. They were meant for this. In that moment, that was all Lucy believed.

But all good things must come to an end.

The two pulled away to catch their breaths, their foreheads resting against each other as they panted. Black bore into brown as they gazed into each other's eyes, their lids feeling heavy. Natsu glanced at Lucy's lips, pride surging within him noticing that they were a tad swollen thanks to him.

It was then that Lucy's mind fully wrapped around what she had just done. With flushed cheeks and wide eyes, she pushed Natsu away and averted her gaze. She didn't mean to do that at all, her body had just moved on its own. And now she regretted it, solely because there was no way Natsu wouldn't put the pieces together now. She wasn't ready for him to find out her feelings. She didn't think she ever would be ready.

Lucy wasn't ready to be rejected. That's all she believed was waiting for her now that Natsu surely knew how she felt. There was no way Natsu felt the same way about her. She wasn't strong like Erza. She wasn't as beautiful as Mira. She wasn't as smart as Levy. There was nothing she could offer him that he would want. She couldn't deal with being rejected by him.

Natsu's heart panged and his eyes flashed with pain after having been pushed away. He tried to get closer to Lucy again to ask her what was wrong, only for her to push him away again. What the hell was happening? Things were going perfectly just a second ago.

She had kissed him. And there was nobody around, meaning it wasn't for upholding their fake relationship. And he wasn't as dense as everyone thought. He knew exactly what mood they were in before she kissed him. It wasn't for practice. It was because she _wanted_ to kiss him.

She must've felt the same way about him.

Natsu would've been happier about that fact, but Lucy's sudden change in behavior didn't leave him any time for celebration.

"Lucy? What's wrong?" Natsu asked, taking a hesitant step closer to the blonde.

Lucy squeezed her eyes shut and hugged herself. "Just go away, Natsu!"

Natsu's brows furrowed in irritation. "Why? You're the one that kissed me, remember?"

"Shut up!"

"No! Lucy, we-"

"Shut up! Just go away already!"

Natsu narrowed his eyes, having lost his patience. Turning around, he waded to the edge of the pool and hoisted himself out. It was like Lucy was playing a game with him. She was stringing him along, only to push him away.

Without sparing Lucy a glance, he harshly replied, "Fine." He then stalked back into the ship without even drying off. He didn't spare her another glance.

Lucy stood still in the pool, covering her face with her hands as she wept. This wasn't how she expected to spend her night. Things were going so well. She was happy.

And then she messed it all up because she was too scared of rejection.

At the sound of a laughing couple nearby, Lucy quickly exited the pool and dried herself off before throwing on her dress. Though she was comfortable with Natsu seeing her in her underwear, she wasn't comfortable with strangers seeing her in such a state. Especially since her face was wet with tears.

After getting dressed, Lucy walked back to their room, her feet dragging behind her. She stopped just outside of their room, inhaling deeply before opening the door. A heavy sigh of relief escaped her lips seeing that Natsu wasn't in the room.

Lucy took this to her advantage and went to the bathroom to shower and wash away all of the dried chlorine and salty tears.

The quick shower left Lucy feeling a bit better. Her body became less tense and her mind became less cluttered. She felt like a blank canvas with a fresh start. She had a minor headache from the crying but it wasn't too bad.

Lucy climbed into bed after having turned the lights off, her gaze glued to the door where light peeked underneath. She didn't know what was going to happen anymore. Everything was out in the open now, but it was done so in the wrong way. If she could go back in time and redo it, then perhaps she would simply confess and see where it would take her. But there was no going back. There were no redoes.

So, she stared at the door, waiting for Natsu return, though she didn't know what she would do when he did. Her heavy eyes began to droop closed until eventually she fell asleep before Natsu came back.

It was an hour after Lucy had fallen asleep when Natsu finally returned. He frowned seeing the blonde dozing in bed, facing the door and most likely waiting for him to come back. He had been taking a walk through the ship to calm down and collect his thoughts and he lost track of time.

Now, he stared at Lucy's sleeping form, longing to wrap his arms around her. Instead, he laid on the floor, deeming it a bad idea to sleep beside her after their quarrel. Things were changing between them, and not in a good way. This was why he kept his feelings a secret in the first place. He didn't want to jeopardize their friendship.

Things were changing. He only hoped things would start to look up soon.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys liked the angst at the end! :D Also, here's a shameless self promo: you should follow me on tumblr! :D I recently drew Lucy (I never draw) and I'm really effing proud of it lmao. My username is superfreakerz, the same for this site! If you do end up following me, msg me to let me know so I can follow you back bc tumblr notifications on mobile are shit. :)

Here is the sneak peek of the next chapter:

 _Natsu's frown grew and his brows furrowed. "You want to just forget about it?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _Natsu's anger bubbled within him and he stalked closer to her. He stopped in front of her and firmly grabbed her wrist to stand her up. Though he was mad, he was still careful not to hurt her._

 _"That's not happening," he said, his voice low._

Hope you liked the sneak peek! :D

 **00nighthowler00:** Loly and Jun won't be making too many appearances in the story anymore and when they do, it's not going to cause jealousy anymore as you can see haha. :)

 **Grandeeney Marvell:** The plan right now is to have it end at 19. But I've been thinking of adding a few more chapters to the epilogue to really wrap it up well so we'll see. :)

Thank you so much to the absolutely wonderful reviewers: **CupcakeGoddess22, 00nighthowler00, Cloud4012, Cher, Starburst2879, Grandeeney Marvell, Hulk9970, Dinoadge, BigKahuna51, biyiksizkedi, MrsScarletRose, ThatOneFriend-3, CharlieBlack88, samiraahmed12, waiting-for-you443, caslspirit15, sarahelle04, zerophelia, Mannyegb, Nalulove, mikaerotica11, sarara1.8, Hsdust, Jcat007, AwareArabian, Askforem, mikislyfox, IamAmazing326, Alexa60765, ToukaKanekiUlle, Guest, Dragneel562, MasterGildarts, FairyRains, Lunahartz, andy24amk, FantasyWorld24, LoveroftheWord, Soul Eater Maka, turtle3334, Guest, Voltronic, leelovesher, Guest, Adtrboy0916, chocolatecatsconfusion, animequeen100, OtakuPrincess28, Celestialwizzard, Ultraviolet read, ThayetJade, Madison 16322, Chocolatechip 1992, Tohka123, peacerockgirl123.** I read all of your reviews and they always make me happy! :)


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** Hello everyone! Just wanna give a heads up that updates may be scattered the next month. I'll be able to update next week but probably not the week after. I'm in the process of moving right now, have a trip coming, and my family is visiting after. So next month is pretty hectic so bear with me. I'll try to update it on schedule or at least once a week but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. :) Anyways, enjoy this chapter! :D

* * *

Chapter 9

The next morning, Natsu woke up with a loud groan. His body ached from sleeping on the floor. To make matters worse, his body was overcome with motion sickness immediately, forcing him to rush to the bathroom. Tears pricked his eyes as he puked into the toilet, gripping the outer edge of the bowl for support.

Lucy's eyes blinked open at the sound of Natsu throwing up. A frown instantly graced her face not only out of pity for her partner, but also because she remembered the events that transpired the night before. She had fallen asleep before Natsu returned and she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do. Still, she couldn't just let him suffer alone.

Getting out of bed, Lucy threw on some fresh clothes, not bothering to close the bathroom door knowing that Natsu wouldn't be able to peek at her in his state. Tiptoeing into the bathroom, the blonde quickly grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste and left so she could brush her teeth in the other sink in their room. She didn't want to brush while he puked next to her.

Lucy got ready as quickly as she could and returned to the bathroom, frowning at the pitiful sight. Natsu had tears welled in his eyes as he hunched over the toilet, not sparing her a glance. This had become their routine since their trip so she already knew what to do. Wrapping an arm around Natsu, the blonde began to lead him out the door and towards the front desk.

It took them a while to reach the lobby considering Natsu was dragging his feet, but they eventually made it to the front desk. The medical mage was already waiting for him, having expected him after treating him every morning. He had the worst case of motion sickness she had ever seen before.

Lucy and Natsu gave the mage a quick thanks before turning to head back to their room. Lucy frowned as she slid her hand over Natsu's. He intertwined their fingers together, looser than normal and informing Lucy that he was holding her hand strictly because he wanted to uphold their cover. Neither of them said a word to each other the walk back and let go of each other's hands the moment they reached their room.

Lucy sat on the bed and stared blankly at her lap, fiddling with her fingers. The silence was killing her and she didn't want to leave things the way they were. But what was she supposed to say? Her eyes landed on their book on the nightstand. Reading always cheered her up when she was in a bad mood. Perhaps it could help them now.

Lucy smiled weakly at Natsu and asked, "Do you want to read our book?"

Natsu studied her for a few moments, not saying a word. Was she really going to pretend that last night didn't happen? No. He wasn't going to let her. He stared back at her without cracking even a slight smile. His eyes were hard and bore into hers.

Lucy fidgeted in her seat and broke her gaze away. Okay, so he was still mad. That much was obvious.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened last night," Lucy said, forcing herself to meet his gaze again to properly apologize. "I guess I got caught up in everything. It won't happen again, so can we just forget about it?"

Natsu's frown grew and his brows furrowed. "You want to just forget about it?"

"Yes."

Natsu's anger bubbled within him and he stalked closer to her. He stopped in front of her and firmly grabbed her wrist to stand her up. Though he was mad, he was still careful not to hurt her.

He peered into her eyes, glaring at her.

"That's not happening," he said, his voice low.

Lucy frowned, her own irritation growing as well. Why was he getting so worked up about it? Was it really that bad that she kissed him? Why did he have to keep bringing it up? Did he really want to reject her that badly? Well she wasn't going to give him that chance.

"And why not?" Lucy asked, narrowing her eyes at him. "I already said it won't happen again! So just drop it, Natsu!"

"You can't keep pretending it didn't happen because guess what? It did!"

"I know it did, idiot! So what? Why don't you just leave it alone already?" Lucy asked, tears pricking her eyes. Her anger was boiling over and if she didn't leave now, she was going to break. Pushing past Natsu, she made her way towards the door, only for him to grab her wrist to stop her.

Natsu turned her around and glared harshly at her.

"Because I'm in love with you!" he shouted.

Lucy's breath hitched in her throat and her eyes went wide. Her jaw slacked and she stood gaping at Natsu, who was now going on an angry spiel.

"I'm in love with you alright, Lucy?" he repeated, still angry. "That's why we can't just pretend it didn't happen last night!"

Lucy's heart sped up and thrashed around in her chest. He loved her. Her feelings weren't unreciprocated. _He_ loved _her!_ Her lips twitched upwards into a smile.

All this time, she believed that Natsu didn't feel the same way about her. She believed that he was someone that didn't have any romantic feelings at all, actually. But now here he was, confessing to her.

It was then that she recalled his fake confession from two days ago.

 _"Lucy. You're one of the nicest people I know, and that's important to me. You're also funny as hell, especially when you're annoyed. You're really strong too, a lot stronger than you think. But above all, you're the weirdest person I know. You say and do weird things that I'm sure nobody else would do and I find it really amusing. A-And that is why I love you too."_

A happy smile graced her lips. It turned out his fake confession wasn't so fake after all. That was truly how he felt and it melted her heart.

"Natsu, listen-"

"No you listen, Lucy!" Natsu interrupted. His gaze was hard and his eyes were narrowed as he continued, " _You_ kissed me last night! There was nobody around so don't even think about telling me it was because of this whole fake marriage bullshit! And I know you aren't the type of person that goes around kissing people! You feel the same way about me! We aren't just friends and you fucking know it!"

"Natsu, I-"

"Why the hell are you smiling? You think this is-"

Lucy interrupted him by quickly wrapping her arms around his neck and crashing her lips over his in a haste kiss. Natsu's eyes widened in shock and his arms laid limply by his sides. Before he could register what was going on, Lucy pulled away and gave him a bright smile.

"I love you too," she said, her face flushed with heat.

"Wait… What?" Natsu asked. He knew she felt that way but wasn't expecting her to give in like that.

"I love you," Lucy repeated sincerely. "This was all just a big misunderstanding. I-I thought that you didn't feel the same way about me so I got scared of you rejecting me last night and I pushed you away. I didn't know that you loved me too."

Natsu, in his confused state, stared back at Lucy. Yelling all of his frustrations left him winded, along with the sudden kiss that took his breath away. With a sigh, he rested his forehead over Lucy's.

"So… We're okay?" he asked in concern. His cheeks were pink from Lucy's confession along with the kiss.

"Yeah," Lucy answered with a nod. "Do you forgive me?"

Natsu grinned and ruffled the girl's hair. "Of course, you weirdo." Breathing a heavy sigh of relief, he sat on the bed, dragging Lucy with him. They laid under the covers and spooned, all of their worries melting away. "My back is killing me."

"You shouldn't have slept on the floor then."

"Well I wouldn't have if _somebody_ wasn't so confusing and complicated."

"Oh hush. Did you get enough sleep at least?"

"Nope."

"Oh. Well did you want to take a nap then?"

"Nope."

Natsu propped himself on his elbow and brushed Lucy's golden hair off of her face and neck. She colored immediately from the touch, prompting him to lean forward and leave a gentle kiss on her cheek. Now that their feelings were out in the open and their argument was resolved, he was going to act on his feelings.

Natsu trailed gentle kisses from her cheek down to her jaw. He continued downwards and gently sucked on her neck, eliciting a squeal from the girl wriggling beneath him.

Natsu pulled back. "Is this okay? I just thought that-"

"It's fine," Lucy interrupted, her face a bright pink. "It's just that I've never done this before… It kind of tickles."

Natsu gave her a toothy grin, glad that he got her permission to continue. He didn't want to cross the line and make her feel uncomfortable, especially when things were just beginning between them. He just couldn't control himself. He had been having endless fantasies about kissing her in various spots, some of them not so innocent, and he couldn't contain his hunger any longer.

Placing his hand over her hip, Natsu continued to leave soft kisses over Lucy's neck, enjoying the way she squirmed below him. It caused a familiar heat to travel through his body and his groin twitched in excitement, not that he was planning on taking it that far. Though if Lucy wanted it, he would gladly surrender.

Meanwhile, Lucy was in pure bliss. Every kiss had her breaths growing heavier and she hummed in pleasure. Natsu's hand on her hip made it more sensual, especially when he gave her hip a gentle squeeze or rubbed circles over her skin. She wanted to be closer.

Turning around, Lucy quickly wrapped her arms around Natsu and planted her lips over his. She pressed their bodies together and fisted his pink tufts of hair. Natsu's hands found home on her hips. Their lips were in a constant rhythm until Natsu invaded her mouth with his tongue, tasting every inch of her mouth before joining their tongues. Lucy couldn't help but give a quiet moan, which elicited a low growl from Natsu.

Natsu nipped at her lip and his hands began to travel, slowly grazing up her side and then over her arm. This was what he had been missing out on. He thought that he would be fine with just being friends, but after tasting her and touching her skin, he knew there was no going back and that he could never solely be just friends with her ever again.

She was his. And he was hers.

The mere thought sent shivers down his spine and heat flushing through him. His hands traveled back down from the top of her back to the hem of her silk pajama shorts. His fingers went just below the hem, silently asking for permission.

Luckily for him, Lucy was in the giving mood. Lucy knew what he wanted and she couldn't deny that she wanted it too. In that moment, it felt like it was just them in the world. With all of the touching, soft moans, and endless kisses, of course she wanted to go further. So, she reached behind herself and guided his hands deeper beneath her shorts and over her bum.

Natsu's heart nearly catapulted out of his chest as his hand glazed over the lacy underwear and her soft flesh. Lucy was giving him permission to touch her, and he was not going to miss out on the opportunity. He gave her a hard squeeze while increasing the pressure of their kiss.

Lucy moaned and grinded against him. Her eyes opened wide and her face flushed with heat after feeling something hard pressed against her thighs. She wasn't dumb, she knew exactly what it was. Her lips curled upwards into a proud smile as she kissed Natsu. So she got him aroused, huh? To think that she was able to do this to one of her guild's strongest member's excited her.

Natsu wasn't the only aroused one, however. She knew what the tingling sensation between her thighs meant. She knew that they were moving fast, that they had just figured out their feelings and that they didn't even define their relationship yet. But did they need to? They already knew they loved each other anyways. And some people have sex despite not being in love. There was nothing wrong with it at all.

She wanted it. He wanted it.

Lucy broke away from their kiss and reached for Natsu's vest, practically ripping it off of him in her haste. With that, she allowed her eyes to glaze over his abs, which were chiseled to absolute perfection. Her fingers roamed over the toned skin, causing a shiver to run through Natsu.

Natsu, becoming more and more excited by the second, lost his patience and wrapped his arms around Lucy before throwing her on top of him. She straddled him while he devoured her neck. He wasn't embarrassed about his hardened member, which he was positive Lucy felt considering she took it upon herself to grind against it. He wasn't embarrassed that he was reaching his breaking point. All he could think about was touching Lucy in that moment and pleasuring her.

Lucy's breaths grew shaky as she grinded against Natsu's clothed length. A fire was ignited within her and there was only one way to put it out. Pausing from her erotic movements, the blonde shimmied out of her silk shorts, leaving her in a tank top and lacy underwear. Then, she laid on top of Natsu again, allowing him to suck at her neck while she grinded over him once again.

It felt _great._ Every hard grind against him relieved the ache between her legs and brought her closer to climaxing. She had done some self-exploration before but it was nothing compared to this. Natsu's hands found themselves over her rear once again, squeezing her flesh while he nipped at her neck. Everything was so passionate and sensual; her eyes were rolling to the back of her head in pleasure.

Lucy couldn't help but remember a story Cana brought up in the guild once, a story about one of her many sexual conquers. Back then, Lucy had tuned her out, too embarrassed to listen. But she did manage to get the moral of her story.

" _Make-up sex is the best sex."_

And despite the fact that she wasn't having sex with Natsu at the moment, Lucy found herself already believing her friend and wanting to experience it for herself.

Lucy pulled away from the kiss and panted while staring into Natsu's eyes. His dark orbs shone with lust, just as she was sure hers did. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes showed how shy she was, but she knew what she wanted.

"Natsu," Lucy breathed out.

Natsu stared into her eyes and knew what she wanted. He would be lying if he said he didn't want it too.

"Are you sure?" he asked. He didn't want to pressure her into anything she wasn't ready for. He wanted her to look back on this moment with a smile, not regret.

"I'm sure," Lucy answered with a small nod. Her voice was breathy as she continued, "I've never been more sure about anything other than the fact that I love you."

That gave Natsu all he needed to know. Cupping the back of her head, he brought her face back down to his and gave her a passionate kiss. Then, he flipped them over so that Lucy was on the bottom. She looked shyly up at him, her golden hair splayed messily around her. Her face was pink and she was squirming below him.

And god did she look beautiful.

Natsu brought his hands to his pants, ready to take them off when a loud horn blew. Natsu winced and covered his sensitive ears.

Over the intercom, which hadn't been used once since they boarded the ship, the Captain's voiced boomed.

"Good morning, everyone," he greeted. "We will be arriving at the docks of Caelum in around fifteen minutes. That is all."

The intercom cut off, leaving Natsu and Lucy sitting in a thick silence. The mood that they had before was now gone, replaced with annoyance after being interrupted during a big step for them.

Natsu gave Lucy a lopsided grin and shrugged. "Wanna go check it out?"

The girl frowned. "But what about this?"

Natsu smiled at her and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "We'll have time to do this some other time."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now let's go on deck and check it out!" Natsu exclaimed with a grin before placing a chaste kiss on the girl's forehead.

Lucy returned the smile and nodded. "Okay."

With that, the two were scrambling to get ready so that they could watch the ship approach land. Lucy chose to wear another sundress, this one flowy and loose, reaching her ankles. It was sky blue with white clouds printed over it. Underneath was her bikini, just in case they wanted to swim. Natsu, dressed in his vest and swim trunks, teased her, saying that her hair was like the sun in the sky.

Once they were finished, the two rushed out of the room, laughing as they squeezed past other guests to reach the front of the ship. Other couples were there as well, awing at the sight in front of them. Caelum Island was in view, surrounded by beautiful, unpolluted water. The water was so blue, the two were tempted to jump overboard and swim in it.

After fifteen minutes of their excitement growing within them, they were finally reaching the dock. The Captain carefully steered and anchored the ship, which would be in that spot for the next two days until it was time to leave. This left the guests two and a half days on Caelum Island.

Once the boat stilled and the ramp was stationed on the dock, the Captain met up with everyone else on deck, giving them a wide grin and showing off his pearly whites.

"We're now at Caelum Island, everyone!" he said. Everyone clapped and whistled, prompting him to continue. "You're all free to come and go as you please, the ramp will be lowered the entire time we're here. However, if you are out past midnight, you will need to show some sort of identification to board the ship again. My crew will be handing out pamphlets of fun attractions in Caelum if anyone is interested. Now, go and have some fun!"

With that, couples began to file out of the ship and carefully step down the ramp and onto Caelum's sand. The island was specifically a tourist's destination, made for outsiders to come and visit. There weren't any paved roads, simply miles of sand and buildings. In the center of an island stood a large volcano- dormant, of course.

Lucy thanked an attendant after accepting a pamphlet. With a wide grin, the blonde slipped her hand with Natsu's and intertwined their fingers.

"Where to first?" Natsu asked with a toothy grin.

"I don't see why you're asking when I know you're just going to drag me to the closest restaurant," Lucy replied, returning the smile.

Natsu's grin grew and he nudged her playfully. "You know me so well. C'mon, Luce!"

Lucy giggled as Natsu began to drag her behind him in his hungry wake. When wasn't he hungry? Of course the first thing he would choose to do on a tourist island is look for food. Not that she minded, though. As long as her hand was in his, she didn't care what they did.

The two grinned as they entered a nearby restaurant. The lights were dimmed, giving the place a romantic feel. The furniture and staff, however, gave off a completely different vibe. There were straw chairs, leis hanging over each one for the customers to keep. The tables were made of birch wood and had seashells glued to the edges. The waitresses wore hula skirts and coconut bras, a flower pinned in their hair. The waiters wore khakis and tacky tourist shirts.

"Hello, table for two?" an employee questioned.

Natsu nodded. "Yeah."

"Right this way."

The two were led to a table near the back of the restaurant. They were handed two menus before the employee walked away and was replaced with a waitress. She had beautiful, long curly locks of brown hair, reminding them of Cana. She even dressed similarly seeing as how their alcoholic friend always roamed in a bikini top.

"Hi there! My name is Leah! Can I get you started with some drinks?" she asked with a kind smile and a chipper voice. So she had the looks of Cana and the personality of Mira. Well, save for the underlying demonic personality. They weren't sure about that yet.

"I'll just have a water," Lucy ordered, returning the smile.

"I'll take some water too," Natsu added.

"Coming right up!" Leah said, strutting back to the kitchen.

Lucy surveyed the room again with a content smile. The place was nice, though it was getting louder as more guests from the ship filed into the building. She supposed it was because the girls adorned coconut bras. The blonde wasn't jealous at all. She knew Natsu was only interested in her. She had no reason to worry.

"What do you want to do next?" Natsu asked, bringing her out of her thoughts. His lips curled upwards into an amused smirk. Lucy always seemed to zone out. It was funny when he would call out to her in those times because she would jump and her eyes would get all wide.

Lucy shrugged and retrieved the pamphlet she got from the crew workers. Opening it up, they found that it was a large map of the entire island, next to which being a legend to show the names of the sights and attractions. On the other side, there was a schedule of fun events planned over the next two days.

"There's a welcoming luau tonight!" Lucy exclaimed, glancing towards her partner excitedly. "We should definitely go!"

"What's a luau?" Natsu asked. He would go no matter what it was considering Lucy seemed to want to go, but he would still like to know in advance.

"It's like a party pretty much. I've never been to one but from the books I've read, they sound like a lot of fun! There's a bunch of leis, food, and games!"

"That does sound fun! What are we going to do before that? Check out the volcano? We're definitely seeing it before we leave!"

"I think we should save that for tomorrow. I'm sure most of the guests are going to go today because it's our first day here and they're excited. If we go tomorrow, it won't be so packed. Besides, I'm not wearing the right clothes for hiking to the top of a volcano right now."

Natsu shrugged. "As long as we see it sometime before we leave."

Leah then returned with their drinks, placing them in front of the two.

"Are you two ready to order?" she asked, pen and notepad ready in hand.

Lucy flushed, having forgotten to look over the menu because she was too busy looking at their pamphlet. She opened the menu and quickly ordered the first thing that appealed her.

"I'll have the salmon," the blonde ordered.

"Would you like salad or fries on the side?"

"Fries, please."

"Alright! And for you sir?"

Natsu shrugged. "I'll just have a steak."

"How would you like it prepared?"

"Rare!"

"Fries on the side?"

Natsu nodded. With that, Leah took their menus and was on her way back to the kitchen. The two resumed looking over their pamphlet again, pointing out anything that sounded interesting to them. As they waited for their food, they came up with a plan for that day.

They were going to finish eating and then explore the island. Though the pamphlet was useful giving a map, simple names weren't enough to give enough information. Besides, who wouldn't want to explore such a beautiful island on such a nice day?

When Leah returned with their food, the two's mouths watered instantly. Natsu didn't waste a second before diving into eating, chunks of food flying everywhere while he inhaled his food. Lucy took a moment to stare at her partner in disgust before looking back to her own food. Licking her lips, the blonde gave an eager smile and picked up her fork, cutting the steamy fish.

Popping the small bite into her mouth, the girl swooned. The fish was lightly crisp on the outside but oh so juicy on the inside. It was seasoned with spices she couldn't name- she wasn't much of a chef- but she could taste just the right amount of lemon juice.

"This is the best salmon I've ever had in my entire life," Lucy said after swallowing the fish down. "And I've had some topnotch chefs cook for me before."

"This steak is good too," Natsu replied with a full mouth, food spewing out from the action.

"I never want to finish."

"There's always dinner."

Lucy nodded and with that, the two began to munch on their food in a content silence.

* * *

Once they finished, the two quickly paid and walked out of the restaurant, their stomachs full and pleased. They made sure to eat every bite to get their money's worth because they didn't want to go all the way back to the ship just to drop off some leftovers.

Lucy placed a hand over her slightly bloated stomach as she walked beside Natsu.

"We probably should've waited a bit longer before we started walking," she said. It was like she could feel all of her chewed up food swishing around in her stomach. "We're probably going to have some bad cramps."

"Nah," Natsu replied, crossing his hands behind his head. "That's not a real thing."

"Yes it is! You're supposed to wait half an hour before doing anything after you eat!"

"We'll be fine, Luce. But if you're really that worried, we can just relax at the beach for a while before going on a walk."

"Good. Let's get a drink first!"

Lucy grabbed Natsu's hand and led the way towards a shack where people were sitting by the counter drinking different alcoholic beverages, all of them colorful and topped with tropical fruits. Lucy, feeling like she deserved a drink, ordered a strawberry daiquiri. The bartender's eyes glazed over her form, lust pooling in his eyes until Natsu glared at him and wrapped an arm around the blonde. The bartender sighed in disappointment and made Lucy her drink.

Lucy grinned and thanked the man, giving him the money before walking towards the beach with Natsu by her side. She brought her lips to the curly straw and sucked the sweet drink with a pleased hum.

Natsu smirked and nudged the girl. "Thought you weren't going to drink at all during our trip?"

Lucy stuck her tongue out at him. "This doesn't count! There's barely any alcohol in here!"

"Still alcohol."

"Shut up!"

Natsu chuckled and laced his hand with Lucy's, dragging her to the beach. There weren't as many other people at the beach because just as Lucy assumed earlier, most decided to visit the volcano.

Lucy settled herself on a plastic chair that overlooked the water, her daiquiri in hand. Natsu sat beside her on the sand. They sat in a peaceful silence, soaking up the sun and watching the sea's gentle waves wash over the shore.

As soon as Lucy finished her drink, Natsu took it upon himself to take her cup and throw it into the garbage. Returning, he gave the blonde a grin and removed his vest before tying his scarf around his forehead. Lucy blushed immediately and swallowed thickly. She always loved how he looked with his scarf tired around his head.

"Let's go swimming!" Natsu suggested, grabbing the girl's hand to stand her up.

Lucy quirked a brow. "What about our walk?"

"We're at the beach, Luce! C'mon, let's go! We'll walk and dry off after."

Lucy grinned. "Okay!" Grabbing her dress and bunching the hem into her hands, the blonde raised it above her head, revealing her white bikini with pink hibiscuses. Natsu licked his lips as her breasts bounced slightly after being released.

Lucy laid her dress gently over the chair and gave Natsu an eager grin. "Well? Let's go!"

Natsu nodded. "Race you to the water!"

"What are we? Five? We don't have to race to the water."

"Scared to lose, Luce?"

The blonde narrowed her eyes but recovered quickly with an eerily cheery grin, one that reminded Natsu of a certain take-over mage back home. In a split second, she swept his feet out from under him and made a dash towards the water.

Natsu blinked once, then twice, taking a moment to register what the hell just happened. A wide grin settled over his face as he jumped to his feet. God did he love a feisty Lucy.

"Yosh! I'm all fired up now!"

Natsu put every ounce of strength towards his legs as he attempted to catch up to Lucy, who was already nearing the blue water. Lucy looked behind her to see her partner's distance, only to squeal realizing he was catching up to her insanely fast.

The two were neck to neck but only one was victorious.

Lucy cheered as she dunked a foot into the water, not minding the initial coldness of the water. Turning, she gave Natsu the smuggest of grins, placing her hands on her hips.

"What was that you were saying earlier?" she baited. "Something about me losing?"

Natsu crossed his arms with a fiery huff. "You only won because you cheated."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night!"

Natsu smirked as he bent down and cupped water before splashing it in the girl's face. Lucy didn't even react, instead telling herself that she should've seen it coming.

With that, the two lost track of time while swimming. At one point, they decided to swim as far away from shore as they could. Lucy was surprised that they actually got a decent distance away from the island.

When they finished, the sun was already setting and the luau as almost beginning. In the end, they didn't have time to explore the island like they had planned. Instead, they walked along the shore, their hands intertwined as they dried off. Once dry, they made their way to the luau.

Torches were posted around the site, spread apart enough to keep it dim. The main source of light, however, was the large bonfire in the middle of grounds. Everyone was dressed in touristy clothes. There was a long table of food and dishes, where people were helping themselves to the steamy food. Colorful flowers were everywhere, though most of them were around people's necks in beautiful leis.

Lucy and Natsu grinned as an older woman with a kind smile dangled leis over them. To their luck, they were their favorite colors, pink and red respectively. The two ventured deeper into the grounds and found mages putting on a show. Fire and water mages danced as their magic twirled around their bodies. Natsu's mouth watered and he wanted to eat their fire but knew better. He didn't want to receive a Lucy Kick in front of everyone.

"This is amazing," Lucy breathed out in awe. It was as if she feared speaking any louder would ruin the moment.

Natsu smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. She was breathtaking. The warm light from the bonfire gently caressed her face, outlining her edges. With absolutely no hesitation, he cupped her face and brought her in for a soft kiss.

When they pulled away, Lucy's eyes were heavy and her cheeks were rosy.

"What was that for?" she asked, her voice just a whisper.

Natsu shrugged and gave her a lopsided grin. "Just felt like it."

They stared into each other's eyes, drinking in the unique colors before a woman's voice distracted them.

"Hello, everyone!" the woman greeted. She was chunky with black hair and soft blue eyes. She was adorned in a green lei and a hula skirt and coconut bra. "Thanks for coming out tonight and welcome to our island! We will now be commencing our limbo tournament! If you're interested in playing, please gather at the limbo station!"

Lucy and Natsu shared an excited grin before heading towards the limbo station, where other couples were standing in line to try to win or have fun. The limbo stick was a rod that changed colors and glowed in the dark and was propped up between two posts. Music played as the game began.

The first walkthrough was easy considering the rod was set high enough that most people could walk underneath it without having to bend at all. Only those that were exceptionally tall had to make a small effort. After that, the employees lowered it about five inches.

The game continued on for a while, quickly knocking out many competitors. Soon enough, Natsu was beginning to struggle as he bent backwards and inched below the stick. It felt like his spine was breaking. Luckily, he made it through. On the next walkthrough, however, he was eliminated from the game as he wasn't able to bend backwards enough to avoid his stomach from touching the rod.

Natsu huffed childishly but watched with a smile as Lucy approached the stick. It was clear that she was more flexible than him as she lowered herself under. But though she was more flexible than him, she wasn't too flexible and was soon eliminated from the game as well.

Lucy walked towards Natsu and gave him a grin.

"You got knocked out early," she teased.

Natsu nudged her and replied, "You only won that because you're shorter than me. It wasn't fair from the start!"

"Whatever you say!"

"It's true!"

The two shared a laugh and watched as the rest of the contestants struggled. In the end, a young woman just a couple years older than them won, but after hearing that she was a professional dancer, they couldn't help but feel ripped off. Shrugging it off, they moved towards the food table, ready for another amazing meal.

It was hours later that Lucy and Natsu returned to their room on the ship. Their feet dragged behind them as they carried themselves inside and plopped onto the bed. They had spent the last four hours dancing, playing games, and meeting other couples and they were beyond excited.

Lucy grabbed a pair of underwear along with pajamas and went to the bathroom to get ready for the night. Her body moved slowly and tiredly as she threw on her clothes and brushed her teeth. She didn't even bother brushing through her hair and instead plopped beside Natsu on the bed once again after turning the lights on.

"Too tired to do stuff," Lucy said, her voice muffled as her face was against the pillow.

"Same," Natsu replied. Though he was tired, he still wanted to hold her in his arms. So, he slid his arm underneath Lucy's head and pulled her back against him, letting his hand rest over her thigh.

Lucy breathed a content sigh, savoring the warmth that Natsu had to offer. With that, their eyes drooped closed and they had the best night's sleep thanks to each other's presence.

* * *

 **AN:** So we got some confessions and things are okay with Nalu. :') Hope you guys liked the chapter! Here is a tiny sneak peek of the next chapter:

 _"You want to hike to the top of volcano? Are you crazy?" Lucy asked in bewilderment. "No. There is no way in hell I'm hiking that far."_

 _The corner of Natsu's lips curled upwards into a smirk. "Is that so? If I remember correctly, I agreed to go on a two week cruise with you on a b-boat. I've suffered with motion sickness everyday, I think you can spare just one day without transportation."_

 _Lucy opened her mouth to argue but came up short. With a heavy sigh, the girl reluctantly nodded. "Alright. Hiking it is."_

Not the most interesting sneak peek, I know. But I don't have much of it written yet so this is all I can give lol.

Thanks so much to the reviewers: **andy24amk, Sblackw, Hypernova5.0, CupcakeGoddess22, CharlieBlack88, MasterGildarts, Guest, Mannyegb, Lunahartz, Cher, leelovesher, LoadedEel, Guest, MsScarletRose, FairyRains, LoveroftheWord, Dinoadge, ThayetJade, madison16322, Guest, ThatOneFriend-3, arika001, IronicMelody23, ToukaKanekiUlle, animequeen100, Guest, ShanaHallows, Voltronic, Alexa60765, Celestialwizzard, sarara1.8, turtle3334, Physics Goddess, BigKahuna51, Adtrboy0916, Guest, Lucinda, Anna5949, Soul Eater Maka, IamAmazing326, Nalulove, AMAZING, Tohka123, Trottingham-sama.** YOU GUYS ARE SO KIND I LOVE YOU ALL.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** Okay guys, there won't be an update next week. My trip is in a few days and I will be out of state. I will be back on the 12th, but I probably won't have a chapter written yet because I'm not bringing my laptop. So as of right now, I don't know when the next update will be but bear with me. I'll try to update as soon as possible. :)

* * *

Chapter 10

Natsu woke up, a wide grin immediately gracing his face. For the first time in nearly a week, the boy had finally woken up without his stomach feeling like absolute hell. To further add to his happiness, he turned his head and found Lucy's head resting over his arm while her own was draped over his chest and her legs straddled his. The corners of her lips were tugged upwards in a peaceful smile.

Natsu recalled the day before. He had gotten into a heated argument with Lucy which led to their confessions and nearly losing their virginities. It had ended before he could take off his pants, but they were close. And he sure as hell wouldn't mind trying again today.

Despite this, Natsu wasn't going to bring it up. Though Lucy had assured him that she wanted it just as much as he did, her feelings over the matter could've changed overnight and he didn't want to pressure her in any way. If she wanted it again, he would happily oblige. If not, that was okay too.

Natsu smiled as he gently brushed golden locks of hair out of Lucy's face and planted a soft kiss over her cheek. The girl wiggled and stretched her arms above her head before her brown eyes fluttered open. A smile and a blush graced her face at the sight of Natsu leaning his face close to hers.

"Morning," Natsu greeted with a small smirk.

"Good morning," Lucy replied. Her eyes darted to his lips and back to his eyes. She had spent the entire night dreaming about kissing those lips. She was about to pull him towards her to steal a kiss when something dawned on her. "Wait, you aren't sick?"

"Nope!" the boy answered, his grin growing. "The boat is completely settled! It won't rock at all!"

"That's great! I was getting tired of having to drag you to the lobby every morning!"

"Well I was tired of throwing my guts out into the toilet, so let's just say it wasn't a good time for the both of us."

"Sounds good to me." Lucy sat up with another stretch. "So what's the plan for today?"

"We hike to the volcano!"

"You mean hitch a ride on the service bus, right?"

"Nope, we're hiking!"

"You want to hike to the top of a volcano? Are you crazy?" Lucy asked in bewilderment. "No. There is no way in hell I'm hiking that far."

The corner of Natsu's lips curled upwards into a smirk. "Is that so? If I remember correctly, I agreed to go on a two week cruise with you on a b-boat. I've suffered with motion sickness every day, I think you can spare just one day without transportation. _"_

Lucy opened her mouth to argue but came up short. With a heavy sigh, the girl reluctantly nodded. "Alright. Hiking it is."

Natsu gave a smug grin and placed a kiss on the girl's forehead. "Thought you'd see it my way."

Lucy rolled her eyes and playfully shoved him before getting up and grabbing a change of clothes. Since they were going on a horrendously long hike up treacherous hills and bends, she didn't bother showering. Her cheeks were a light pink hue as she removed her clothes, leaving her in her underwear. It wasn't anything he hadn't seen before and considering she was going to have sex with him the prior night, she figured she should be comfortable enough to change in front of him.

Natsu's eyes slowly travelled up and down her body, lingering over her ample chest and her curvaceous hips. His lips twitched upwards into a satisfied grin as he hardened. To think that their friendship had evolved into this… He couldn't be any happier.

But for now, they had a volcano to see. Perhaps when they returned they could continue what they left off on yesterday.

Lucy, seeming to have the same thoughts, slipped into a pair of gym shorts and a pink sports bra, which she then covered with a loose tank top. Natsu wondered why girls bought gym shorts that were short enough to look like underwear but didn't question it. They were sexy and he liked being able to see the very bottom of her bum. Though, he didn't like other guys being able to see it- which they always took to their advantage, staring at her like hungry wolves.

Lucy hummed as she combed through her golden locks and tied it into a high pony. Knowing that they were going to hike sometime during their trip, the blonde did pack a pair of tennis shoes along with her heels just for this occasion.

After finishing getting ready and eating a decent sized breakfast, the two traveled down the trail towards the volcano. It took them twenty minutes just reaching the base of the volcano, Lucy didn't want to even think about how long it would take to reach the top.

The two gave each other an eager grin and laced their fingers together before beginning their journey. There was a carved trail that spiraled up to the top. It was rocky and steep and if they weren't careful, they were sure to fall.

For the first two hours, they walked without growing tired. Lucy was rather proud of herself. She didn't train with her spirits for nothing. Her stamina and durability had increased tenfold since joining Fairy Tail and it was really showing.

After their third hour, however, Lucy was a mess. Sweat dampened- no, _drenched_ \- her clothes and dripped down her skin. They were only a little more than halfway there. Luckily for her, the people that carved the trail were prepared for this and also carved out rest stops each quarter of the way. They could just take a break when they were three quarters of the way there.

And that was exactly what they did. Lucy plopped onto the mossy ground with heavy pants. Natsu followed suit, sitting beside the girl. Though he didn't display it so much as his partner, the dragon slayer was admittedly growing tired as well. But he still preferred this over riding in any type of damned transportation.

Lucy stared into the sky, which was a beautiful canvas of mixed hues of blue, purple, pink, and hints of orange. Stars weren't shining in the sky yet but soon enough they would arrive. She was anxious about hiking on a steep hill without adequate lighting but didn't think too much of the matter.

"We should've drove here," Lucy muttered. Her heartbeat was resuming its normal rate and her breathing had calmed.

"No way," Natsu replied, lying beside her. "That would've been more dangerous."

"How in the world would it have been more dangerous?"

"This road is narrow and rocky. One wrong move and they'll go rolling off the side."

"The same could be said for us."

"No because I'll be able to save us. I'll be useless in a magic mobile."

Lucy supposed he had a point. Not the best argument, but it worked. Her faced scrunched in disgust as she felt her previously loose-fitting tank top clinging to her skin thanks to the sweat that coated her skin. With a disgusted grunt, the blonde took off her tank top, leaving her in her sports bra.

Natsu's head turned and landed on her chest. Even a sports bra could barely contain her breasts. He licked his lips.

"That's better," Lucy sighed, laying back down.

"Mhmm," Natsu agreed. He turned on his side and immediately crashed his lips over Lucy's. He knew they weren't in the privacy of their own bedroom but he couldn't control himself. Besides, it wasn't like any other passengers decided to hike. No, they weren't hindered by motion sickness and took magic mobiles instead.

"N-Natsu," Lucy breathed out as his lips travelled to her neck and sucked the skin. He moved on top of her and settled his legs outside of hers as he continued to leave love bites over her fair skin.

The hickeys he gave her filled him with pride, for he was the one able to leave such marks on Lucy. Nobody else could. That right was reserved for him and him only.

Natsu removed himself from her only to take off his vest, then came back down for more. He felt her hands land on his back, her nails slightly digging into his skin. It didn't hurt. Instead, it lit a fire within him.

Lucy could feel something hard pressed against her thigh and wanted nothing more than to put it between her legs to relieve herself from the growing ache that resided there. The ache was building up relentlessly as Natsu's hand slowly travelled up her side and grazed the side of her breast while his lips ravaged her neck with rough kisses. She could feel the warmth from his fingers even over her bra.

Natsu's fingers teasingly slipped under the hem of her sports bra, grazing her skin. Just as Lucy was about to open her mouth to tell him to stop teasing her, he moved his fingers over her hard nub. Lucy couldn't contain the moan that escaped her mouth from the sudden touch as she arched her back and wriggled beneath him. His thumb continued to encircle her nipple and knead it.

Lucy's breaths were shaky and chopped as she grinded upwards, trying to relieve the ache between her legs. Unfortunately, Natsu's pants had restrained his dick and left her rolling her hips at nothing while he teased her nipple.

Natsu held back a smirk, feeling Lucy attempt to grind him. Part of him wanted to give in to her silent demands, but the other part was enjoying this too much. So instead of taking off his pants and bending her over then and there, he sat her up and removed her bra.

Natsu's mouth parted as he stared at her bare chest, his body heating up severely as if he was in thrown into the volcano. Lucy was clearly shy as she averted her gaze and chomped down on her lower lip, crossing her arms to hide her breasts. A low growl resonated deep in Natsu's throat and he practically pounced on her.

Lucy gasped in shock as she was knocked back on the ground, her arms pinned above her head as Natsu leaned over her.

"God you're sexy, Luce," he said, his voice low and alluring. "Don't try hiding it."

Natsu then released her wrists and gave both of her breasts a hard squeeze. His brought his lips on Lucy's neck again, sucking the skin and trailing down to her jaw, then her collarbone, until finally his lips were hovering over her chest.

Lucy was squirming below, internally begging him to stop teasing her. Natsu smirked and tantalizingly brought his lips to the sensitive area around her nipple, leaving gentle kisses over the flesh. Lucy was struggling to hold back moans. Then Natsu's tongue darted out and licked the sensitive nub and a loud moan escaped Lucy's lips.

No longer able to help himself now, Natsu ended his teasing and kissed her hardened peak while his other hand fondled her other breast. Lucy dug into his back and couldn't stop moaning and rolling her hips.

Unable to do what she wanted, Lucy decided to do the next best thing: start her turn of teasing. Bringing her hands to Natsu's perfectly sculpted abs while he continued with her breasts, she slowly trailed her fingers downward. Natsu's lips stopped and hovered over her once her fingers tugged on the hem of his pants. With a smirk, she slid her hands under his boxers and past his hair until finally her fingers grazed against something warm.

Lucy's eyes widened a fraction in shock and she allowed her hands to continue their exploration of Natsu's length. She had imagined what a man's penis felt like before and she had never expected this. The skin was velvety soft and she could feel a vein over it. It was also incredibly warm, but she wondered if it was because he was a fire dragon slayer or if all boys' erections were like this. Though, she did know for sure other boys weren't as big. She had discovered the average length of a boy's penis through girl talk at the guild, and Natsu definitely exceeded.

With both curiosity and excitement, Lucy gently trailed her finger up and down his length, causing Natsu to shiver over her. A smug grin etched itself onto the girl's face and she wrapped her hand around his shaft. She could see Natsu's arms shaking as he struggled to keep himself up.

"L-Lucy…" Natsu ground out, his breathing sharp. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Oh nothing," Lucy replied, trailing her fingers over his sensitive skin again. "Just returning the favor of all your teasing."

Natsu shuddered as her finger trailed over his head and then back to his length. It felt so good, he wasn't sure how long he would hold up. And she was barely even touching him. He really wanted to rip off her shorts and underwear and thrust into her until she screamed his name.

With a growl, he pushed forward and crashed his lips over hers. Lucy wrapped her hand over his length again and squeezed, causing him to shudder again. Then she surprised him by pumping just once.

"Lucy…" he moaned. Her touches could bring anyone to their knees and he wanted her to touch him forever.

But alas, Lucy smirked and removed her hand from his pants before gently pushing him off of her. She grabbed her sports bra and rose to her feet, putting it back on. With a shrug, she went ahead and put her tank top back on as well.

"Ready to go to the top of the volcano?" Lucy asked, smirking at him.

Natsu just stared back at her, his groin screaming for release. Then, he smirked right back at her. "Oh, so this is how you wanna play, Heartfilia? You sure you wanna start this war?"

The blonde's smirk deepened as she kneeled in front of him. Grabbing his clothed member, she answered, "Oh this isn't war, Dragneel. It's going to be a completely one-sided annihilation. War requires fighting from both sides."

Natsu shivered from the touch and admittedly his confidence of winning had decreased. Defiantly, he replied, "Alright! You're on!"

Lucy grinned and stood back up, beginning to walk back to the trail. She made extra sure to swing her hips and she knew Natsu's hungry gaze was on her rear. She started a dangerous game between the two, one she completely planned on winning. But for now, they had a volcano to see.

* * *

It took another hour to finally reach the top of the volcano and they had to admit, it was worth it. From the designated spot, they looked into the volcano to find a large pool of lava, lightly bubbling with heat. They could feel the heat despite being far away.

Natsu's eyes were glued onto the fiery lava and his mouth watered. Without moving his gaze, he said, "I'm gonna eat some."

"You're kidding, right?" Lucy asked, paling at the deadly serious look on his face. "Natsu, you can't eat that."

"Why not? It's basically liquid fire."

"No, no it isn't. Natsu, you'll die if you try doing that."

"No I won't, Luce. I'm a fire dragon slayer."

"You're also an idiot if you think it'll work. No, Natsu. I'm not going to let you kill yourself."

"But it looks so good!"

"No."

"But Lucy-"

"Nope."

"Lu-"

"Not listening."

"Ple-"

"No! Now stop asking before I throw you in!"

Natsu huffed and crossed his arms, a wisp of fire escaping his lips. He knew she was right but he couldn't help but want to try. It looked delicious and his mouth watered at the sight of it. Picking up some loose sediment, the boy tossed it into the volcano and watched it plunge into the viscous lava.

"That was cool," Natsu stated with a crooked grin.

"It was," Lucy agreed.

Natsu bent down and picked up a rock, handing it to the blonde. "Your turn."

Lucy smiled wide and tossed the rock down the volcano. They stood by each other, throwing more rocks with satisfied smiles on their faces.

"I wish we could watch the rocks incinerate," Natsu said.

"You know," Lucy began, tossing another rock, "the rocks don't actually incinerate."

"What do you mean? It's in lava, of course they incinerate!"

"Actually, we're just changing the type of rock. If the rock begins to melt, it creates an igneous rock. They don't incinerate into nothing."

Natsu's mouth parted and he stared at the girl with widened eyes. Then he chuckled, tossing another rock. "I didn't know you were this smart."

"I don't know if I should be offended or not."

"Of course you shouldn't be offended. I always knew you were smart, smarter than the rest of Team Natsu. I just didn't know you were this freakishly smart."

Lucy blushed from the compliment and muttered, "It's just basic geology. Nothing too special."

Natsu turned his gaze towards her and narrowed his eyes. "When will you ever just accept a compliment without putting yourself down?"

"What do you mean?"

"I call you strong, you call yourself weak. I call you smart, you say it's nothing special. Well it is special, Luce. Just accept that you're freaking awesome."

Lucy's blush deepened and she averted her gaze, twirling her golden locks around a finger. "O-Okay."

Natsu gave her a face-splitting grin. "Good! Now let's throw more rocks in the volcano!"

* * *

It took them nearly four hours to return to the ship, faster than it took them to get to the top since they were going downhill. Their legs shook beneath them as if unable to hold up their weight any longer and their stomachs were practically screaming with how loud their growls were. How they had forgotten to bring food, Lucy would never know.

"So… tired…" Lucy huffed, dragging her feet behind her as they made their way to the dining hall.

Natsu tiredly pulled the blonde along as he replied, "And hungry."

"Never again will I listen to you to walk somewhere far away instead of taking transportation."

The boy greened. "Don't say transportation."

"Pathetic."

The sweaty teens plopped themselves onto their seats at their tables and breathed heavy sighs of relief. Their legs felt like jello and they were finally allowed to rest. When the waiter arrived, the two quickly gave their orders and chugged the glasses of water that he placed in front of them. The waiter's eyes widened seeing them down the water so quickly and went to go get them refills and place in their orders.

"Was the volcano everything you hoped it would be?" Lucy asked, feeling a bit better after having a drink and sitting down.

Natsu nodded and gave her a lazy grin. "It was fun throwing rocks in the lava."

"I think so too. That was my first time going to the top of a volcano!"

"Same. What do you want to do after dinner?"

"Shower," Lucy answered immediately. She felt disgusting with sweat coating her skin and plastering her hair to her face. She smelled, too. Usually the girl would never be seen in such a state and she certainly wouldn't go out in public like so, but she was starving and desperate for food.

"I think I will too," Natsu replied.

To this, Lucy blushed. " _Does he mean he'll shower with me?"_ It wasn't that she particularly minded the thought of showering with him, but she hoped that his first time of seeing her naked was in the bedroom when they were in another session of passionate kisses and hopefully something more.

Lucy still couldn't believe that Natsu loved her. Of all the beautiful girls, he chose her. And now they were actually sharing steamy kisses and touching each other in places nobody had every touched them before. Well, Lucy had had some perverts grope her before, but this was her first consensual experience. (Those perverts had been kicked where the sun doesn't shine, mind you.)

Lucy felt blessed. Her first love was somebody that she cared for more than anyone, her partner and best friend in the world. And he actually felt the same.

"Hello? Earthland to Lucy?"

Lucy snapped her gaze to Natsu, who was smirking at her and waving his hand in front of her face.

"Oh, sorry," the blonde said, smiling sheepishly.

"It's okay. So after our quick showers, I was thinking we could read our book. We didn't read yesterday and I gotta know what happens next!"

Lucy bit back a frown at the word showers. Plural. As in he would take a separate shower. "That sounds good to me!"

Their waiter then showed up with their food and the two immediately began to scarf it down. Lucy threw all manners out the window as she shoved her face with food in a similar manner to Natsu's ravenous method of eating. Other nearby guests stared at them in horror and disgust but they payed them no mind.

Once finished with their meals, they headed back to their room for the night. Lucy grabbed some clothes from her drawers for the night and went to the bathroom to take a shower. She didn't bother locking the door behind her. With a blush, the girl placed the clothes on the marble countertop. It was a silk, lilac nightgown with lace hems. It had a plunging neckline and was loose enough to easily expose her breasts had she bent down. It was also very short, allowing a tiny sliver of her bum to show. Adding to the sexy pajamas, the blonde also brought with her a lacy white thong.

After their long and exhausting hike, Lucy hadn't expected to want any more action for the night. But after having sat down for an hour, being fed, and having plenty of water, the blonde sort of hoped there would be some sultry touches for the night. Perhaps not going all the way, but at least some passionate kisses.

" _Can't forget about our war,"_ Lucy thought with a smirk as she stepped into the shower. A familiar tingling sensation came from below at the thought of their break earlier. Oh, she was going to have a blast teasing him.

Lucy made sure to wash off all of the grime and sweat from their hike and stepped out feeling like a princess. Drying off, the girl wrapped a towel around her body and used another to quickly dry her hair at least a little bit. She didn't want her hair too wet to seep through her clothes. When her golden locks were dry enough to no longer drip anymore but were still damp, she combed through her hair before slipping into her pajamas- if they could be called that rather than lingerie.

Lucy flushed at her appearance in the mirror. A hefty amount of her cleavage was showing and she could see her white thong peeking underneath her nightgown. Her damp hair framed her face. She could say without a doubt that she looked good. She had always known that she had a nice figure and a pretty face to match, but right now, she felt like a sexy goddess sent from above. Was it a bit vain? Perhaps. But she let it slide. Having confidence was a good thing, after all.

With a deep breath, Lucy calmed herself down. She wanted to appear as if she wasn't planning on doing anything but reading tonight and that she wasn't totally expecting some action. With a neutral expression, she finally left the bathroom.

Natsu, who was laying on the bed, glanced towards the girl, his mouth open to tease her for taking so long only to have the words die in his throat. Swallowing thickly, he let his onyx orbs glaze over her hourglass-form. So much skin was showing as she wore one of the shortest nightgowns he had ever seen- not like he had seen many, however. He started at her ankle, his keen eyesight catching a droplet slowly moving down her leg. He followed it up her leg until he was met with a tiny bit of white, he assumed to be her underwear. His groin twitched as he found himself wanting to go over to her and lick the droplet's trail up to her underwear and rip them off with his teeth.

Natsu's eyes then trailed upwards and landed on her barely covered breasts. Breasts that he had seen earlier and had been flashing in his mind all day. Breasts that he wanted to lick and squeeze and play with.

Lucy bit back a smirk, knowing that he was becoming aroused, if the bulge in his pants was anything to go by. Sauntering to the bed and in front of him, Lucy picked up their book and sat beside him, elongating her back slightly to emphasize the size of her breasts.

"Hurry up and shower, Natsu," she said. "You wanted to read, didn't you?"

Natsu tore his gaze away from her chest and met her eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, only to close it when he smelled something. Sniffing the air, the boy recognized the scent as Lucy's perfume, which she hardly ever wore. She usually stuck to lotions.

Remembering their war from earlier, Natsu wanted to smack himself. Of course! She was teasing him with those clothes! Why else would she put perfume on just to read a story and go to bed? With a heavy smirk, he rose from the bed, standing in front of the blonde.

"Yeah, I'd better go shower," Natsu said. He took off his vest along with his pants, leaving him in front of Lucy in just his boxers. His hardened member threatened to escape through the hole of his boxers but instead created a tented bulge.

Lucy's mouth became dry as her eyes glazed over Natsu's abs and then her eyes landed on his clothed member. The tingling sensation grew to a slight ache and her fingers itched to touch the soft, velvety skin that was hidden.

Natsu's smirk grew and he leaned towards Lucy. He saw her mouth part in expectation of a kiss but instead he grabbed a lock of her golden hair and sniffed while his other hand drew light circles on her bare shoulder.

"You smell good, Lucy," Natsu said, his voice low and alluring. He brought his lips closer to hers, just barely grazing them as he slid the strap of her nightgown off of her shoulder and whispered, "Oops."

Lucy shivered from the minimal touches and wanted to throw herself at him but she refused to lose. So, she batted her lashes and gently trailed a finger between his abs and to the hem of his underwear, giving them a light tug.

Holding her finger in the air, she said, "Better go shower. You're still sweaty. Oh, and…" She brushed her finger over the tip of his member. "Oops."

Natsu gritted his teeth. Lucy was in their bed, looking sexy as fuck, and was touching his dick. He wanted nothing more than to fuck her until she was seeing stars.

" _Can't do that yet,"_ he reminded himself, trying to gain control of his breathing, which was growing shaky.

The two stared into each other's eyes, which were pooling with lust. Lucy was surprised that Natsu was able to control himself this long. Even she was reaching her breaking point. She had to pull out the big guns.

With their book in hand, Lucy kneeled on their bed before turning around so that her bum was facing him. Then, she laid herself down on her stomach, her gown having rode up and exposing more of her lacy thong and her rear. She pulled her hair to one side so that her neck was out in the open and calling his name.

Natsu couldn't help but growl as he stared at her butt. Her perfectly rounded butt. He wanted to squish each cheek and slip into her. He wanted to sink his teeth into her neck and leave her marks of his love. He wanted to make her moan and scream his name.

No longer able to control himself, Natsu got on the bed and caged Lucy between his legs. He grabbed the book out of her hands and tossed in on the floor behind them, putting his hands on her shoulders. Leaning forward, he placed his lips over her neck and tugged at the skin lightly with his teeth before sucking and licking her neck.

Lucy gasped and squirmed below him. She could feel his bulge on her bum and it filled her body with heat.

Natsu brought his lips from her neck and to her ear, licking the shell. He whispered, "I've had enough of your teasing."

"W-Well, that means I win then," Lucy stammered back, biting back a moan as he kissed her ear. She had never had that done before and never knew that it would feel so amazing.

"I don't care anymore."

Natsu suddenly flipped Lucy onto her back and stared into her eyes. His eyes then flickered to her chest and she shivered, seeing his onyx orbs fill with longing and desire. Natsu quickly tugged the neckline of her dress down to expose her breasts, her nubs hardened already. He licked the area around one of her nipples before playfully flicking his tongue over it.

Lucy moaned and rolled her hips upwards, frowning as nothing was there to ease the ache between her thighs. Natsu then sucked on her nipple while rubbing his thumb over the other one, causing her to squirm.

Lucy's hand reached out and found his tented member. With tingling excitement, she set it free and wrapped her hand around the warm length. She felt Natsu shiver from her touch and she began to pump up and down.

Natsu reached down and grabbed her wrist, bringing her hand away from his dick. With a heavy smirk, he told the girl, "Nope. It's your turn."

Natsu squeezed her breasts together and licked both of her nipples simultaneously, causing Lucy to practically scream in delight as her body raked beneath him. He switched between light and hard kisses, licking and sucking.

"N-Natsu…" Lucy moaned, rolling her hips up towards him. Sweat glistened over her and her breathing was shaky.

Natsu slid one hand between them and lifted her nightgown while he continued to work on her breasts. Slipping his hand beneath her thong, he was surprised to find that her folds were wet already. With unexperienced fingers, he explored the area between her lips.

Lucy inhaled sharply as Natsu's fingers grazed over her clitoris. He seemed to have heard her, because he rubbed the sensitive spot again, this time a bit harder and this time she gave an erotic moan of delight.

A low growl resonated from Natsu. That moan of Lucy's was like music to his ears, but he wanted more. He wanted her to scream with pleasure. He wanted her to moan his name again. With excitement bubbling within him, he hesitantly slid the tip of his finger inside of her.

Lucy squealed, prompting Natsu to withdraw his finger at the speed of light.

His eyes were wide with concern as he met her gaze and said, "Sorry, Lucy! I was just-"

"I liked it," Lucy interrupted, her face flushed with heat and color. "I just wasn't expecting it. C-Can you do it again?"

Natsu swallowed thickly and nodded his head. He moved his hand back and slipped the tip of his finger back inside of her. He was apprehensive of going any farther until Lucy's hand gripped his and guided him farther inside before releasing her hold on him so that he could do it himself.

Natsu's mouth parted slightly as he slowly withdrew his finger from her, making her toes curl. She was so warm, as if she was the fire dragon slayer instead of him. Pushing his finger in again, he was satisfied to hear her breathing grow even shakier. So, he began to pump his finger in and out of her, speeding up.

Lucy wriggled and moaned beneath him as his finger brought her closer and closer to climaxing. Needing to do something with her hands, she brought them up to her breasts and played with them herself, pinching her nipples and rubbing over them.

Natsu noticed her movements and smirked. No, that won't do. He withdrew from Lucy again, ignoring her whines in order to move her hand away from one of her breasts. He licked her sensitive nub and returned his hand to her wet entrance, pumping his finger in and out again.

Lucy moaned yet again but it still wasn't enough for him. So, he added another finger, to which Lucy inhaled sharply, her legs shaking. Natsu wanted to smirk as he increased his speed. He could hear her breaths growing louder and louder into moans until finally, she was screaming his name.

"N-Natsu!" she cried out just as her legs spasmed and he added a third finger. In and out, in and out, in and out. Lucy's hand tugged on his hair while her other fisted the blanket.

Lucy was seeing stars as she orgasmed. It was nothing like she had ever imagined. No, it was much, _much_ better. Her body was overcome with pleasure and every pump had her toes curling. Eventually, the speed of his fingers decreased and her body began to relax. Sweat coated her skin as she panted, still in pure bliss from the ecstasy of it all.

Natsu lifted his head to meet her gaze and gave her a toothy grin, one that was sure to win girl's hearts just as it had won hers. He drank in her features; her half-lidded brown eyes, her flushed cheeks, and her small smile.

"You really are beautiful, Luce," he said, kissing her gently on her forehead.

Lucy's smile grew and she sat up, her eyes landing on Natsu's member, which was still hard and erect. Wanting to repay the favor, she gently pushed Natsu onto his back and laid on her side next to him, wrapping her hand around his shaft.

Natsu grinned and let his head rest on the pillow. It was his turn and he was more than ready for it.

Lucy's grip was light as she began pumping up and down. A small frown graced her lips as she wondered if it hurt when she did this. His skin was obviously sensitive, there was no way it didn't. To her surprise, however, Natsu's hand landed over hers and tightened her hold over his length.

"Harder," he breathed out.

"It doesn't hurt?" Lucy asked, wanting to make sure.

Natsu raised a brow before chuckling. "Nah, it doesn't hurt. It feels really good, actually."

That was all Lucy needed to hear. Tightening her grip, she increased her speed. She watched as Natsu rolled his hips forward with each pump, a proud smirk gracing her face. Wanting to experiment, she repositioned her hand and continued to pump with her four fingers and her palm while her thumb rubbed his head.

Natsu's breaths grew faster and he felt himself close to finishing. Lucy seemed to know as well, for she increased her speed again and tightened her hold even more.

Lucy nearly gasped as she could feel the vein underneath her harden and before she knew it, Natsu's legs buckled and a white liquid spurted from the tip that she was rubbing and landing over Natsu's abdomen. It continued to come out in segments until finally, the liquid was barely oozing out of the tip.

Lucy's eyes were wide and she brought her hand off of Natsu's length to study the sticky substance that was on her fingers. Admittedly, she was a bit grossed out at first, but knowing that it was perfectly normal and that it only happened because _she_ brought him to his climax, the sticky substance became like a symbol of pride.

Natsu panted and kept his eyes closed, for they were too heavy to open at the moment. His body felt relaxed and his mind became clear. Opening one eye, he grinned at Lucy, who was smiling down at him with a blush over her cheeks. He saw his cum on her hand and winced.

"Sorry about that," he said, embarrassed.

"It's okay," Lucy assured. "Doesn't bother me at all."

Natsu grinned at that. "Well. That was fun."

The two laughed and laid beside each other on the bed. Natsu made sure to stay on his back so that the cum wouldn't drip onto the bed. They stayed in a peaceful silence, staring up at the ceiling. It was during that peaceful silence that something dawned on Lucy.

"I guess I should've waited to shower until after."

* * *

 **AN:** Lmao imma be honest, I had no idea what I was doing while I was writing this. I just kinda went with it? :') This is my first time writing smut so please give some feedback. There's gotta be something I can improve on! Here's the sneak peek for the next chapter:

 _Lucy smiled as they walked along the shore, hand in hand. Water lightly washed over her feet with each gentle lull of the ocean. Since no other passengers travelled this far, it was peacefully quiet, allowing the blonde's mind to think about how wonderful life had been treating her lately. Her relationship with Natsu- whatever that may be- was making her the happiest person on the planet, she could say without a doubt._

 _"Hey Natsu," she began, turning her gaze towards him, "when did you start having feelings for me?"_

 **Trottingham-sama:** As of right now, I don't have any more angst planned out but knowing me, I'll probably add some more because I love angst lmao. So we'll see! :D

Thank you to all of the people that reviewed: **FairyTailLover04, andy24amk, waiting-for-you443, LoveroftheWord, MasterGildarts, Emoelmo41212, ShanaHollows, Lunahartz, biyiksizkedi, Dinoadge, Cher, D, HollyDragneel, Alexa60765, FairyRains, Trottingham-Sama, Madison 16322, leelovesher, TwistedFairyTail, Mannyegb, IronicMelody, Lucinda, Guest, Guest, turtle3334, Dewi Gwyn, BigKahuna51, SonNatsu, sarara1.8, Soul Eater Maka, CupcakeGoddess22, ToukaKanekiUlle, koalababe, animequeen100, ThayetJade, UnicornsloveNaLu, wonderlust714, Adtrboy0916, Milk Maiden, Bambi94, Tohka123, Voltronic.** You guys make my week! :D


	11. Chapter 11

**AN:** Hi everyone! It's almost been a month but I'm finally back! I managed to squeeze some time in today to update. My family is leaving Friday so I should be able to update again on Monday and we'll be back to our normal schedule! :D Sorry for the extremely long wait! Without further ado, here is the chapter! :D

* * *

Chapter 11

Sand sifted through Lucy's toes with each step as she walked alongside Natsu. It was early in the morning and the two decided to walk along the beach before the ship departed from Caelum Island and back to Hargeon. Since they walked for a while along the shore and it was still early morning, there was nobody else around them.

With their hands interlocked and pleasant smiles plastered on their faces, the two walked in a content silence and admired their surroundings. The water sparkled under the sun and gently lolled onto the shore, occasionally enough to wash over their feet. The leaves of the palm trees swayed lightly in the cool breeze.

Lucy, who was adorned in a lilac sundress, glanced towards her partner, her cheeks growing pink. Natsu had always been attractive in her eyes, but it was moments like these that she had really noticed. His smile was contagious and his eyes were so dark and alluring. His pink hair laid over his forehead rather than spiking up due to the humidity in the air.

"Hey, Natsu?" Lucy called out.

"Yeah?" the boy replied, glancing back at her.

With curiosity shining in her brown orbs, she asked the one question she had been dying to know. "When did you fall in love with me?"

Natsu flushed from the look she was giving him; her eyes were questioning, her golden hair was framing her face, and she focused all of her attention on him. Rubbing the back of his head with his unoccupied hand, the boy averted his gaze.

"That's a tough question…" he answered.

"Try," Lucy insisted.

Knowing he wasn't going to be able to get out of sounding cheesy, Natsu answered honestly. "I guess I always had a thing for ya from the start. I just didn't know it."

The girl's brows shot up. "Really?"

"Yeah. You were really nice to me when we first met. And weird. I mean, what normal person buys a whole meal for someone who accidentally saved them?"

"I think anyone would do that! And that doesn't make me weird!"

Natsu smirked and playfully nudged her. "Whatever you say, weirdo. Anyways, I didn't know I had feelings for you until you turned down a date to go on a job with me and Happy."

"I remember that day! I never knew that you developed feelings for me since then!"

"Yeah. I thought it was just a little crush back then. I didn't think it would actually go anywhere until we were on Tenrou Island and that pudgy guy almost killed you. You said that it was more fun when we're together and that made me realize that it went way further than some crush."

Lucy's gave a face-splitting smile, her cheeks rosy and her eyes shining with glee. His words warmed her to the core and she was glad she managed to wrangle out that piece of information from him.

"What about you?" Natsu asked, bringing her from her happy thoughts.

Lucy's moment of happiness stalled as she frowned and answered, "Truthfully, I didn't know I loved you until the other day."

"Seriously?" Natsu asked with an arched brow. "What tipped you off?"

"Loly, actually. That night she was bugging us to kiss. I knew that I didn't want you to be with her but I didn't know why. So I kissed you in hopes of getting her to back off. Well, when I kissed you, it was like I had an epiphany."

Lucy kept her eyes glued to the sand. Her face was warm with heat and she could feel her hands growing sweaty. Admittedly, she felt bad that Natsu had known his feelings for so long and had to suppress them while she just found out.

Natsu only grinned, however, and gave her hand a squeeze. "That's awesome! Guess we'll have to thank Loly, huh?"

Lucy giggled, quickly forgetting her worries. They walked in another peaceful silence. Memories resurfaced in the blonde's mind and she couldn't help but laugh.

"I can't believe it took me so long to figure out," Lucy said through laughs. "I even got dressed up once thinking that you were going to confess to me."

"Wait, what?" Natsu asked in shock.

"Mira told me that you and I would look cute together and that she thought you liked me. Everyone was speculating that you liked someone that one time you needed Virgo's help digging something up so I just assumed it was me. Then you said you needed to ask me something and it really seemed like you were going to confess!"

Natsu gave a hearty laugh, wiping tears from his eyes. "No way! I can't believe you thought I was going to confess!"

"I know, I know. So then I was thinking of ways to gently turn you down-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You were going to reject me!?"

Lucy chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her head apologetically. "Only because we were partners and I didn't want to ruin what we had! Besides, I didn't know that I was in love with you or anything!"

"Sheesh! Could've at least went with an open mind!" Natsu teased.

"Oh hush! I dressed up cute and everything! I even had Cancer do my hair! And yet _somebody_ didn't even notice and instead told me they wanted my spirit's help instead of confessing like I expected!"

"Wait a second… Is that why you slapped me!?"

"Yep!"

"But you were going to say no anyways!"

"Well I might not have if you actually confessed!"

The two glared at each other for a few moments before bursting into a fit of laughter. So their way of getting together was no fairy tale and probably could've been done months ago. It didn't matter now. Besides, they had grown incredibly closer over the past months anyways. Things were fine the way they were.

With the ship leaving the port soon, the two rushed back onboard and into their room. They only had six days of their cruise left and planned on spending every moment they could having fun. So, they picked up their book and began to read from where they left off, using their funny voices as always.

Natsu never imagined reading being this fun. It wasn't until he found out Lucy was an aspiring author that he was even interested in books. Her books, to be exact. He wanted to read every single story she had written and was secretly jealous that Levy was the one chosen to be her first reader rather than him. Well, everyone wanted to be Lucy's first reader. Even Erza had gotten close to threatening the blonde but surprisingly she held her ground. Levy was going to be her first reader and nothing was going to change that.

The horn blew suddenly, alerting them that the ship was departing soon, the two put their book down and left the room. They wanted to get a head start on Natsu's motion sickness before the ship started to move. Not to mention that they wanted to watch the ship move away from Caelum Island's port.

After having the mage cast her motion sickness spell over Natsu, the two went onto the deck and leaned over the railing. The staff was standing at the shore, waving at the ship as it began to depart and though they didn't know them, Lucy and Natsu felt compelled to wave back.

When they could no longer make out the finer details of Caelum Island, the two strolled through the ship, looking for something else to do to occupy themselves. Lucy couldn't help but frown. The cruise was a blast and she was having the time of her life. But truthfully, they were running out of things to do.

They could swim every day, of course, but that wouldn't be as fun. They could go to the spa, but they had to pay for it. Her eyes landed on a neon sign that hung over the door of a dimly lit room. There was always the club, but she wasn't the best at handling alcohol. But then again, she did want to experience everything the cruise had to offer…

With a touch of hesitance, Lucy said, "Let's go check out the club."

Natsu frowned and picked at his ears. Surely he must've heard her wrong. Lucy Heartfilia wanting to go to a club? As if that was possible! The boy glanced towards his partner and sure enough, she was staring at the door to the club, which was practically empty save for the staff.

"You serious?" Natsu asked with a small smirk. "What happened to not wanting to drink?"

Lucy crossed her arms. "It would be a waste not to try everything once, right? What else are we going to do?" Natsu shrugged, prompting her to continue. "Exactly. Let's just check it out."

"Right now?"

"I don't see why not."

"Because nobody goes to the club in the afternoon, you weirdo! If you really wanna experience it, you gotta go at night! That's when they play the loud music and that's when it's best to drink!"

"And since when did you become such an expert of clubs, hmm?"

"Cana may've dragged Gray and I to a few," Natsu answered with a chuckle.

Lucy raised a brow. "Was it fun?"

The boy answered with a shrug, "Ehh. Cana stayed by the bar most of the night and ditched us to go shack up with some dude. Gray and I didn't know what to do other than drink. Random drunk girls would try to get us to dance but we always said no."

Lucy gave a pleased smile at that. Even though she would love him regardless of his past, the blonde was still glad that he was just as new to this as she was. She wasn't sure how she would handle the thought of Natsu with other girls.

After stopping to get some lunch and returning to their room again, Lucy plopped on the bed and kicked off her white sandals. Natsu did the same, sitting beside her. They had plenty of time to kill before they were to go to the club so they figured they would go swimming after resting for a bit to let the food settle in their stomachs- that was Lucy's idea, of course. Natsu never believed in the whole waiting-thirty-minutes-before-swimming-shenanigans.

The two cracked open their book. With thirty minutes, they were sure to finally finish the novel. Truthfully, Lucy knew that she would've finished the story in a day had she read by herself, but she didn't mind slowing her pace for Natsu. He made reading more fun and had her laughing with each paragraph, bringing the characters more to life than the author could ever dream of doing. Natsu had that kind of effect on things, after all.

"With somber fingers, Dawn reached for John's blood-stained jacket, tears streaming down her face and into the fabric," Lucy read aloud. She was always the narrator while Natsu read the dialogue. They were on the last page of the book. Her voice shook and her eyes were glossy as she continued, "Sirens sounded in the distance. She couldn't stay for long, not with a price over her head. Her lips brushed over John's forehead in a gentle kiss before Dawn rose to her feet. With one last gaze to the boy she had fallen in love with, she continued on her journey and she never looked back."

Lucy closed the book with a heavy sigh, placing it on the nightstand beside her. Then, she wiped away the tears that pooled in the corners of her eyes. She should've expected the story to have a tragic ending. Despite the ending, however, it was a fantastic read. She would really have to thank Levy for letting her borrow the book.

Lucy turned her head to take in Natsu's reaction. "Well, what did you thi- Are you crying?"

Natsu stared back at her with furrowed brows and a slightly puffed out lower lip. His eyes were misty as tears stained his cheeks. Hastily rubbing the salty tears away, he glared at her again.

"No, I'm not crying!" he denied, his cheeks rosy from embarrassment. He was grateful Gray or Gajeel weren't around. He would never hear the end of it if they were.

The blonde smiled and cooed. "Aww, Natsu! It's okay if you're crying! I'm crying too, see?"

"I told you, I'm not crying!"

"Yes, you are!"

"No, I'm not!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

Lucy crossed her arms with a huff. "Natsu Dragneel, I am not blind! I know you are crying!"

Natsu growled, returning the gesture. Meeting his defeat, he threw his hands in the air while shouting, "What the hell kinda ending is that!?"

"It's a tragedy."

"That's stupid! It should have a happy ending!"

"Well not every story has a happy ending."

Natsu scoffed and threw his head back. "Well that's because he gave up! He didn't even try to get help!"

"I suppose that's true," Lucy mused. "If anything, you should be upset that Dawn just left like that! How could she leave so easily? She didn't even grieve! She was just trying to save her own skin!"

The pink-headed boy shrugged. "Well, I woulda hoped you would do the same thing if we were in that situation."

"What? No way!"

"Well John was already dead anyways. If Dawn didn't run she would've been executed by the King's guards."

"Well, yeah. But I still wouldn't have left."

"Well that's because you're a weirdo."

Lucy slapped the boy's arm. Rising from the bed, the blonde stretched her arms over her head, enjoying the popping sound of her spine as she did. She knew cracking her body wasn't exactly good, but hey, it sure felt nice.

Reading took a bit over half an hour, longer than Lucy had expected. Her stomach would definitely be okay with a swimming session now. Grabbing her swimsuit, she took a step towards the bathroom when Natsu's warm hand encircled her wrist and pulled her onto his lap facing away from him.

"N-Natsu?" Lucy questioned, her cheeks set ablaze. She could feel his warm breath fanning her neck. A familiar, tingling sensation erupted in the space between her thighs. "W-What are you doing?"

Natsu gave a pleased hum and kissed the sensitive skin of her neck softly. "You can change in here, you know…" He slid a finger underneath one of the thick straps of her lilac sundress and dragged it over her shoulder. "It's not like I haven't seen it before."

Lucy nearly squeaked as she felt something harden beneath her. "Well you haven't seen _all_ of it before." Before Natsu could reply, she cut him off with, "And you aren't going to until we have sex."

Teasingly, Natsu replied, "Well, we could make that right now if you want."

Lucy rolled her eyes and stood up, turning around to face Natsu. Her eyes immediately darted towards his prisoned member before meeting his dark orbs. Of course, he also had a satisfied smirk glued to his face since he saw that she had taken a peek of his groin.

"I'm going to go change now, loser," Lucy said, sticking her tongue out at him.

Natsu laughed and replied, "What a tease. First you sit on my lap and then you don't even kiss me."

"You sat me down on your lap, idiot!"

Lucy stifled her laughter as she strode into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She noticed a slight ache of her face because of how big her smile was and she couldn't stop. Smiling was inevitable around Natsu. His happy-go-lucky personality was contagious.

After the two were dressed and ready to go, they made their way to the pool, which was full of other guests splashing about under the sun. Finding a spot near the end that wasn't taken, Natsu gave a face-splitting grin before throwing Lucy into the water. The girl bobbed her head from the water, her golden locks draping over her face as she muttered incentives. Cackling, Natsu jumped right beside the blonde, making sure that the water splashed over her.

Lucy shrieked, still not used to the temperature of the water yet. With an uncharacteristic growl, she lunged for Natsu and shoved his head back underneath the water before he could fully rise. Bubbles rose to the top of the water as he laughed underneath before overpowering her and standing up.

Giving a wide smile that showed off his sharp fangs, Natsu ruffled Lucy's hair and said, "Don't have to drown me, Luce! It's just a little water!"

Lucy blushed, his smile having her heart pound erratically within her chest. "I wasn't expecting it, jerk! You have to give me time to warm up to it!"

"Nah, it's more fun this way! But while you were attempting to drown me, I had a great idea!"

"Now you have me worried. Your great ideas are never really great ideas, you know."

The boy ignored her jibe and exclaimed, "Let's see who can stay underneath water the longest!"

Lucy shrugged. It wasn't the worst idea Natsu's had. And he's had plenty of bad ideas. "Alright. Are we counting each other?"

"Nah, let's go underneath together. Gotta make sure you ain't cheating or anything."

"I wouldn't cheat!"

"Sure you wouldn't!"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him and sighed. "Whatever. Let's just do this thing."

"Yosh!" Natsu shouted, raising his fists in the air. "I'm all fired up!"

Natsu counted down on his fingers before the two took deep breaths and dunked themselves under water. Lucy had struggles staying underneath the water, for her body kept wanting to float up to the surface. But she refused to give in without a fight. This could come in handy one day. Who knows, she could be in some kind of naval battle in the future.

Screwing her eyes shut tightly so that the chlorine wouldn't enter her eyes, Lucy tried to ignore the feeling of her chest beginning to constrict. She didn't know for sure how long she was under, but it felt like a long time. When her chest began to scream at her to get some air, she finally rose with a large gasp for air. Opening her brown eyes, the girl found Natsu staring at her with a look of awe.

"Wow, Luce!" Natsu exclaimed, placing his hands over her shoulders. "You can hold your breath for a really long time!"

"Wait, I won?" the blonde asked, her brows raised. "How long have you been up here?"

"I don't know, but it was a while. Maybe you can even beat Juvia at this!"

Lucy chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far, but thanks."

After taking a few moments to catch their breaths, they played some more games. They competed to see who could do a handstand the longest- which Lucy won only because she could hold her breath longer. Then they competed to see who could walk the farthest distance on their hands. Natsu won as Lucy found herself unable to walk without falling over. Natsu suggested they raced but Lucy already knew he would win that by a landslide.

A few hours flew by in what seemed like minutes for the two. It was half past six when Lucy suggested they returned to their room to get ready.

"Six thirty is still too early to go to a club, you know," Natsu said as they entered their room.

Lucy stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower as she replied, "I know, but I have to get ready."

"You could just throw on some clothes and we could go."

"No, no. We are both showering first. I don't want to go to the club smelling like chlorine."

Natsu groaned, complaining, "But you take forever getting ready!"

"Which is why we came back this early," Lucy shot back, sticking her tongue out at the boy. "I need to shower, find the perfect outfit, dry my hair- maybe even curl it- and put makeup on. By the time I finish, it'll be the perfect time to go!"

"You don't need to do all that stuff! You look fine without it," Natsu mumbled.

"I know, I know. But this is a special occasion so I'm doing it. So stop whining and let me go shower."

"Yeah, yeah."

Natsu grinned as he watched Lucy's retreating form. With a happy sigh, the boy laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. So much had changed over the last week, he wished he had brought a lacrima so that he could tell Happy and the others all about it. They would surely be surprised. Or would they? They all thought it would happen and constantly teased them about it, would it really be that much of a shock?

As Natsu wondered about how the guild would react, another thought crossed his mind. Did Lucy want them to know? They never exactly talked about what was going to happen when they returned to Magnolia. At the moment, they were just going with the flow of things.

The corners of his lips dragged downwards into a frown. What if things went back to how they were before? He was happy then, but how could he ever go back after all they've been through? There was no way in hell he would be able to do that, not when he laid everything on the table. He confessed his love and everything! But what if that's what Lucy wanted?

Lucy's always been easily embarrassed and flustered about these things, perhaps she wouldn't want the guild to know. After all, they would no doubt tease her. What if she decided that this _thing_ they're doing was just a sweet fling to be called off once they returned? He didn't know if he could handle that.

The shower cut off suddenly, bringing Natsu out of his thoughts. As the door to the bathroom opened, steam bellowing into the room, the boy forced a cheery grin to his face. Thoughts of what was to come next week filled his mind but he pushed them back. For now, he was going to enjoy what he could.

* * *

Hours later, Natsu breathed a long sigh of relief as Lucy was _finally_ ready. He had been sitting on the bed playing with his magic, simply waiting for the blonde to finish whatever she was doing. First it was drying her hair, then picking out an outfit, then back to her hair yet again. Were other girls in the guild this slow getting ready?

Meanwhile, Lucy smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Adorned in a silver, sequin-covered dress that hugged her curves and stopped just above her knees, she knew she looked good. The dress might have been deemed modest considering its length was longer than some of her others and it had straps, but the hefty cleavage that showed due to the plummeting neckline retracted all modesty. Pairing the dress with a pair of silver, glittery heels and a silver clutch, she was ready to go.

Natsu, wearing his usual outfit, narrowed his eyes at the girl and said, "What took you so long? You didn't even curl your hair like you said!"

Lucy chuckled and rubbed the back of her head. "Actually, I did. But then I thought straight hair looked better for this dress so I straightened it again."

Natsu sighed before dragging his eyes over her form. He started at her feet, which were slipped inside sparkly heels that he wasn't sure how Lucy knew how to walk in. He had tried wearing her heels before with Happy and immediately fell before he could even take a step. And simply wearing the hellish shoes for a minute hurt his feet. Girls sure were tough. Especially Lucy considering she seemed to always wear some sort of heel, though the sizes varied.

Licking his lips, Natsu's eyes traveled up her creamy legs. With his heightened senses, he could still smell the lotion that she had rubbed over her legs hours ago. He always loved her legs. They had nice curves that he enjoyed tracing with his finger. And of course, her legs paved the way to her even curvier hips. Ones that he loved holding. Ones that he dreamed of gripping to keep her steady while he continuously rammed-

Natsu quickly shook his head. If he thought about those dreams now, there was no way he would be able to leave the room. He could already feel a certain region of his body beginning to tingle. So, he allowed his eyes to continue the rest of their journey of her body.

Natsu suppressed a growl as his eyes lingered over Lucy's ample chest. Oh how he wished he could just rip the damn dress off of her and help himself to her body. But knowing Lucy wanted to go to the club, he restrained himself.

Lastly, he drank in the features of her face. She wore light makeup: shimmery lip gloss, mascara, and some winged eyeliner. He was glad she didn't cake her face in it. Though he knew she would still look beautiful, he liked her natural form the most. Her lips were curved into a small smile and her eyes gleamed with excitement.

God was she beautiful. How in the world did he manage to snag someone like her? After all, everyone repeatedly pointed out his pink hair and slobby behavior. How could he have attracted someone as beautiful as Lucy? Well, she was weird in her own ways as well, perhaps that helped.

"Y-You look good," Natsu said, his cheeks tinged pink as he ducked his face into his scarf. He didn't compliment Lucy's appearances much. It wasn't the most important thing about her and he figured she should already know herself how good she looked. But now seemed like a good time to remind her and he was glad he did, for the bright smile she gave him had his heart catapulting in his chest.

"Thank you," Lucy replied, fiddling with her clutch. Holding her hand out to him, she asked, "Should we go now?"

Natsu grinned and laced his fingers with hers, leading the way out of their room. "Yosh! I'm all fired up!"

* * *

Loud music pounded in Lucy's ears the moment she opened the door to the club. Her eyes were assaulted with bright, flashing neon lights. Tightly gripping Natsu's hands, she allowed him to lead the way deeper into the room where other people were.

There was a bar where guests sat, taking drink after drink. Most of the guests, however, were in drunken stupors on the dancefloor, moving their body to the pounding beat in what was supposed to be a dance but really it was just sporadic jumping. In fact, most of them weren't even on beat. Lucy doubted they cared, though.

Lucy's first instincts were right. Clubs were not her scene. But hey, she was a firm believer in trying everything at least once. She could only imagine her father rolling in his grave, though. Heartfilias were not supposed to be in a place full of sweat and people grinding against each other in public.

"Where to first?" Natsu asked, giving her hand a shake.

Lucy shrugged. Admittedly, she wanted to go to the corner and sit in one of the booths, but that wasn't truly experiencing a club. So instead she suggested, "How about the bar?"

"It'll take us all night to try to catch up to these people, but sure!" Natsu joked. He led the way through the crowd, his eyes narrowing dangerously with each step. Just about every guy there was ogling at Lucy. Though, it wasn't like he could blame them. Her dress made her stick out like a sore thumb due to its shimmering under the flashing lights. It was like she was a disco ball with how each sequin sparkled. And with the glances towards her dress were the inevitable glances towards her breasts.

Reaching the table, Natsu was glad that Lucy sat with her back facing most of the crowd. Of course, the guy that she sat beside tried stealing a peek of her, but she turned in her chair to face Natsu, who smirked in pride.

"How you liking it so far?" Natsu asked, ordering some fire whiskey for himself and one of those fruity drinks that Lucy liked. He never tried it, for he wasn't a big fan of anything sweet. And considering the drink was pink and covered in whipped cream and strawberries, he figured the drink was an overload of sweetness.

"Umm… Loud," Lucy answered honestly, giving a nod of thanks to the bartender, who seemed to be the only male besides Natsu that wasn't staring at her chest.

The boy laughed, patting her on the back. "Did you expect anything different?"

"I guess not. But it's also really warm in here. And it smells like sweat. Must not feel so good to have heightened senses right now, does it?"

The bartender returned, silently sliding them their drinks. Lucy immediately gave a bright smile and her eyes gleamed. Strawberry margaritas were her go-to when it came to alcohol. Not only were they pretty colors, the fruity flavors also covered up the foul taste of the alcohol itself. Otherwise, she would puke with the first sip. How Cana could handle the devil's liquid like it was nothing, she would never know.

Pulling the pink curly straw closer to her lips, Lucy sucked on the straw and forced the contents into her mouth. The cold, slushy drink was sweet against her taste buds but she could faintly taste the tequila in it. With a pleased hum, the blonde sucked away in content.

Meanwhile, Natsu raised a brow as he watched Lucy sip her daiquiri. Though he had watched her take a few sips every now and then at the guild, he had never witnessed her drunk before and wondered what she was like. Was she a crier? Was she an angry drunk like Erza? Or perhaps she was a bubbly drunk. He was more than curious to find out.

* * *

After the third drink, Natsu took back every curious thought he had. It turned out Lucy happened to be a lightweight. And to make matters worse, she was a very _touchy_ drunk. She was the first touchy drunk he had met and so far, it was proving to be a hassle.

It started with Lucy's cheeks turning pink and her eyelids growing heavy. He could tell that the alcohol was starting to kick. But soon enough, the girl eyed him up and down, licking at her lips before grabbing his bicep and giving it a squeeze. Then, she trailed her finger from his forearm to his side and attempted to stroke his lower region had he not caught her wrist in time. Getting erect in public was not something he wanted.

Now, she had decided to dance around him, occasionally rubbing against him or provocatively show off her cleavage.

"Natsuuu~" she drawled out, hugging him from behind. He swallowed thickly, able to feel her breasts squished against his back. "Let's go dance!"

"Uhh, I think we'd better get you back to the room," Natsu replied, standing up and wrapping an arm around the girl to make sure she didn't fall. "You're drunk and can barely stand on your own."

Lucy puffed her lower lip out and furrowed her brows in a cute pout. "I don't wanna go back. I wanna dance! Dance with me!"

"We really should be going back-"

"Husbands dance with their wives."

"Not if they want to tuck their annoying wife into bed so she can stop stumbling around."

Lucy crossed her arms under her already ample chest. Tapping her foot against the tiled floor, she gave him a pointed look.

"Natsu Dragneel, you better come and dance with me right now or else," she threatened with a glare.

The boy mirrored her expression and shot back, "Or else what?"

Her brown eyes glazed over with tears and she sniffled. "Or else you're going to hurt my feelings!"

Natsu gave a loud groan and dragged a hand over his face. In utter defeat he shouted, "Fine!" Grabbing Lucy's hand, he led them to the dancefloor, on the edge of the crowd so that he wouldn't have to worry about her bumping into people as much.

Lucy- who had quickly wiped away her tears and gave a smug grin- cheered and began to bob her head to the music. When the pace quickened, she began to jump and sing along. She jumped around Natsu, throwing her arms in the air.

Natsu couldn't help but laugh seeing Lucy. In truth, she looked like a crazy person. But he wouldn't have it any other way. Soon enough, he found himself jumping around and yelling as well. They were just like everyone else: off-beat and sweaty. But they could say without a doubt that they were having fun.

* * *

Five songs later, Lucy stopped dancing and stared at her feet, sporting a frown. Looking back at Natsu, she cocked her head to the side like a cute puppy.

"What's up?" Natsu asked, arching his brows.

"My feet hurt," Lucy answered, her frown growing.

The boy chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Is that surprising? You've been jumping around in heels, you weirdo."

Drunk Lucy laughed with him. Glancing around the room, her eyes landed on the bar. "Wanna go get more drinksss?"

"No way. You're cut off."

"But I want more strawberries!"

"Then we'll get you strawberries without alcohol. Deal?"

"Hmm. Okay! Deal!"

Natsu breathed a sigh of relief, locking his hand with Lucy's to make sure she wouldn't wander off. He began to lead the way towards the door but stopped once he heard a sharp intake of breath. Turning his head to see Lucy, he found her using her other hand to remove her shoes.

"You probably shouldn't take those off here," Natsu said.

"But my feet hurt," Lucy whined.

"Well they're gonna hurt even more when someone else steps on your foot. Or you're gonna start crying because you stepped in something gross." Crouching down, he held his hands out behind him. "C'mon, I'll carry you."

Lucy squealed and quickly jumped on his back, nearly knocking him forward and onto the floor. Luckily, he managed to catch himself along with her first. Standing back up, Natsu finally made his way to the door. While Drunk Lucy was incredibly amusing and entertaining, she was certainly hard to take care of. He felt almost like a babysitter.

While going up the stairs while carrying Lucy would've been a challenge for most people, Natsu did so effortlessly, for he had carried her dozens of times. They reached the second floor and he was about to put their key into the lock of their door when Lucy tugged on his hair.

"Don't forget the strawberries," she said. Pointing to the end of the hall, she raised her hand in the air and shouted, "Onwards, my faithful kitty!"

"Kitty?" Natsu scoffed in return while heading towards the shop on their floor. "I ain't no kitty!"

"But you purr like one!"

"When the hell have you heard me purr before!?"

"Fine, fine. No kitty. You are my faithful dragon then!"

Natsu gave a fanged grin and wisps of fire escaped his mouth. "That's more like it."

Entering the store, the two ignored the questioning and judgmental stares of the other guests. Considering the store was small and only had a few snacks and necessities, it didn't take long to search the entire store. As Natsu expected- and dreaded- there were no strawberries.

Lucy sniffled, causing a wave of panic to course through Natsu.

"There's no strawberries," she whined. Already she was on the verge of drunken tears.

"D-Don't cry! How about this instead? These are strawberry flavored!" Natsu assured, picking up a box of wafer sticks with artificially flavored strawberry cream in between them.

Immediately, the girl perked up. "Yay! Strawberries!"

Natsu chose not to remind the girl that the wafers were not strawberries and were only flavored. He would prefer not to have a bawling Lucy on his hands.

After purchasing the snack, Natsu quickly carried Lucy back to their room. Closing the door behind him, he plopped Lucy onto the bed and handed her the food. To his surprise and slight annoyance, the blonde declared she wasn't hungry and put them on the nightstand.

" _Why did she make me get that then?"_ Natsu wondered, grinding his teeth together. Oh yeah, he would definitely be watching her alcohol intake from now on.

Lucy stood up from the bed and sauntered towards him, her brown eyes pooling with lust. Snaking her arms around his neck, she pressed their bodies together. Without giving Natsu time to say anything, she crashed her lips over the corner of his, missing the spot she intended to kiss.

"L-Lucy?" Natsu called out. "How about we get you changed?"

The blonde pulled away and smirked. "Yeah. I'll go get dressed into something more _comfortable."_

Natsu gave a sigh of relief. Finally, Drunk Lucy was cooperating with him! "Yes, change into some pajamas!"

Lucy giggled, stumbling towards the drawers and grabbing something black and lacy before rushing into the bathroom.

Natsu laid on the bed, taking a moment to rest before he heard the bathroom door open again. Lifting his head to address Lucy, he was startled to say the least. His eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets and his jaw hung on its hinges.

Lucy was adorned in a black bra and panties that were connected by a whole lot of straps. Natsu didn't see the point in all of the straps but admittedly they were sexy and he would not be complaining if it weren't for the fact that she was drunk. Gulping loudly, he forced himself to meet her eyes. He didn't want to take advantage of her.

Lucy sashayed her hips with each step she took towards him. She stumbled halfway but quickly recovered. Reaching him, she dragged the tip of her finger from his chest to the hem of his pants.

"I want you, Natsu," she whispered. "I want you now. Let's have sex."

The boy choked on his saliva and groaned. "Oh god, Lucy. I want you too but we are not having sex for the first time with you drunk. C'mon, let's get you changed."

In a matter of seconds, tears were welling in her eyes. "Y-You don't want to make love to me? Am I not attractive?"

Natsu sighed, rising to his feet and planting his hands over her hips. Staring into her eyes with all seriousness he could muster, he replied, "Lucy, you are the sexiest woman alive and I would want nothing more to bend you over and fuck you throughout the night. But I want us to be sober for our first time and I know you do too."

"You're right. We should be sober."

"Yep. Now let's get you changed."

"Or we could do some _other_ stuff in the meantime."

"You're killing me here, Luce." Natsu walked to the drawers and grabbed a pair of fluffy pajama pants and a matching shirt. Handing it to the blonde, he begged, "Now please get dressed into these. For me."

Lucy looked him over and reluctantly nodded. "Alright, alright. But tomorrow I expect you to make love to me all night." With that, she walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Natsu gave a long sigh as he laid back down onto the bed. The corners of his lips curled upwards into a smile before he started chuckling to himself until tears of mirth clouded his vision and rolled down his cheeks.

Teasing Lucy about this was going to be a blast tomorrow.

* * *

 **AN:** No smut today haha! :D Hope everyone liked the chapter! Btw, Natsu and Lucy are NOT in a relationship. People have been wondering about their relationship status, so there it is! :) Also, I'm so glad you all liked my first smut scene! Meant a lot lol. :')

Here's the sneak peek of the next chapter:

 _"What? Not in the mood?" Natsu teased, blowing a wisp of fire from his mouth._

 _Lucy ignored the heat in her face and frantically asked, "W-Why would I be?"_

 _"Well considering last night you asked me to make love to you, I just figured you would be in the mood. So c'mon, Luce! Let's make love!"_

Short preview, but I hope it satisfies you until next week! :D

Huge thank you to everyone who reviewed: **andy24amk, sarara1.8, CupcakeGoddess22, Emoelmo41212, KitKat2648, waiting-for-you443, turtle3334, LittleLadyRedfox, LoveroftheWord, MasterGildarts, Mannyegb, Lunahartz, leelovesher, biyiksizkedi, Lucinda, Dinoadge, KhiraWard, Tohka123, Soul Eater Maka, D, Milk Maiden, Guest, MavisPerez, Alexa60765, celestial-dragneel13, OtakuPrincess28, BigKahuna51, ToukaKanekiUlle, FairyRains, YukiMC, Miamas, UnicornsLoveNalu, Juvia is my spirit animal, MorriganFae, Nalulove.** Along with everyone that favorited and followed. :')


	12. Chapter 12

**AN:** Okay, this chapter was very hard for me to write. Anyways, I am back to my updating schedule everyone! :D

* * *

Chapter 12

As always, Lucy woke to the sound of Natsu throwing up. She tossed and turned, trying to go back to sleep. Unfortunately for her, that was impossible, especially now that her head started to pound and the light that peeked from the small opening of the bathroom door stung her eyes. And soon enough, it wasn't just Natsu that had to barf.

Lucy threw the blankets off of her and rushed to the bathroom where Natsu was gripping the edge of the toilet and glancing at her with puffy cheeks and tears in his eyes. Without sparing him a glance, the blonde leaned over the counter and hurled into the sink. There was no time to usher Natsu to move over so she unashamedly did it right in front of him and into the sink. If that wasn't a fun relationship marker, she didn't know what was.

Natsu stared at the girl in concern. Had they not been on a boat, he would be holding her golden locks of hair back for her or rubbing gentle circles on her back. Sadly, he was unable to do either and resumed throwing up into the toilet.

Everything hurt for Lucy. Her stomach felt like it was being sucked dry with each heave, her head felt as though someone was taking a hammer to it, and even her eyes began to hurt from screwing them so tightly shut. All in all, it was complete hell for her.

After puking for five minutes, Lucy's stomach started to calm a bit. With an exhausted groan, she turned her head to Natsu, who was still throwing up.

"I'm never drinking again," she mumbled, drool dripping from her mouth. Natsu only gave an incoherent reply.

When her stomach was completely calm, Lucy laid on the floor in fetal position. Her head still felt like shit and all she wanted was to sleep some more. Natsu's whimpers and hurls filled her ears, however, prompting her to get a move on with her day.

Staggering to her feet, Lucy moved as quickly as she could to get dressed and ready for the day. Once finished, she wrapped an arm around Natsu's torso and underneath his arm in order to drag him away from the toilet so that he could get treated.

The medical mage was used to seeing Natsu looking a mess every morning. Seeing Lucy with disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes with bags underneath was a different situation. She quickly casted the curse over Natsu and offered to do the same for Lucy, who politely turned the offer down. She wanted her to save her magic for others with real sicknesses to get treated.

Now that Natsu was feeling fine, it was his turn to support Lucy back up the stairs and away from the other guests, who were loud and uncaring that she had a hangover. She dragged her feet with each step and held a hand glued over her forehead.

Reaching their room, Natsu closed the door as gently as he could and walked Lucy to the bed. He sat down and allowed Lucy to lay with her head over his thighs.

"You feeling okay, Luce?" he asked, brushing a lock of hair out of her face.

Lucy hissed and covered her ears, whispering, "Don't talk so loud. Head hurts."

"My bad, my bad," Natsu replied in a hushed tone. He sifted his fingers through her hair and massaged her head, hoping to at least relieve her of some stress. It was something that she always did for him whenever they were on a train heading for their next job. Though it didn't erase the pain completely, it did comfort him and all he wanted to do was repay the favor.

They sat in a complete silence, Natsu massaging her head while Lucy rested her eyes. Neither knew how much time had passed since, but eventually the latter opened her eyes once again and gave the boy a gentle smile.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Natsu," Lucy said, grabbing his hands from her head and placing light kisses on the back of them.

"No problem," Natsu replied, leaning over and kissing her forehead. "Feel better now?"

"Much better. Like I said earlier, I'm never drinking again."

"Really? Because I was having the time of my life and figured we could go there again tonight!"

"Oh hush, idiot." Lucy sat up beside him, cupping her chin. "I don't even remember most of last night. How much did I drink?"

Natsu shrugged. "Not sure. I wasn't keeping count."

"Did you get drunk?"

"Nah. But I didn't have as much as you."

"Oh really? Why not?"

"Someone had to be the mature adult," Natsu answered, giving the girl a smug grin.

Lucy laughed and nudged his side. "Mature adult? Please. You are more of a child than Asuka!"

"Oi! I'm hurt! And that's real funny coming from someone that made me give them a piggyback ride last night!"

Lucy's cheeks tinted pink. "Did I do that?"

"Yep," Natsu answered, poking her cheek. "And you made me go through the trouble of buying you strawberry snacks when you weren't even hungry!"

"Oops… Do we happen to still have the snacks?"

Natsu chuckled and grabbed the box of wafers that were still sitting unopened on the nightstand. Handing it to the girl, he replied, "Go wild."

Lucy gave a pleased smile, tearing the box open and popping a wafer into her mouth. It was just what she needed after throwing up what felt like all of her insides. Well, she could probably use some water. But this worked too.

"What do you want to do today?" Lucy asked while handing Natsu a wafer.

Natsu accepted, shoving all of it into his mouth and replying with a full mouth, "I don't know. Wanna swim?"

"I'm kind of tired of swimming for right now. But I could go for soaking up the sun and watching you swim."

"That's no fun!"

"It's fun for me. I'm going to go get dressed, I'll be right ba-"

Lucy squealed as Natsu grabbed her wrist and twirled her around. He tugged at her arm and pulled her onto his lap, their faces inches apart as she stared into his onyx orbs. Her hands were splayed over his chest and her body tingled with excitement and fresh nerves.

"What are you doing?" Lucy asked breathily.

"Only doing what you asked me to," Natsu replied. His voice had a teasing edge to it, one that sent shivers down the girl's spine.

"What are you talking about?" Lucy's heart raced as he reached for one of her straps and slid it off of her shoulder. Slightly embarrassed- but also turned on- the girl jolted to her feet and stared at him with flushed cheeks.

Natsu had to stifle a laugh for what he was about to say next. He already felt like he was going to explode in a fit of cackles.

"What? Not in the mood?" Natsu teased, blowing a wisp of fire from his mouth.

Lucy ignored the heat in her face and frantically asked, "W-Why would I be?"

"Well considering last night you asked me to make love to you, I just figured you would be in the mood. So c'mon, Luce! Let's make love!"

Lucy's eyes grew to the size of golf balls as she shrieked and covered her flaming face with her hands. She knew something must've happened last night within her forgotten memories. She just didn't know what. And oh how she wished it wasn't that. Why couldn't she just be a sad drunk?

"There's no way I said that!" the girl shouted, refusing to move her hands.

Natsu bent over with laughter, tears streaming down his face. Teasing Lucy was the best way to pass time. He only wished his partner in crime, Happy, was there to see it.

"You did say that!" he finally replied through cackles. "You were practically throwing yourself at me!"

"I don't believe you!"

"It's true! You were all, 'You don't want to make love to me? Am I not attractive?' It was hilarious!"

"Agh! Don't repeat it! I don't want to hear all the weird things I said yesterday!" Lucy cried, finally moving her hands from her eyes only to cover her ears. "We're never talking about this again, got it?"

"Oh please!" Natsu shot back with a face-splitting grin. "I can't wait to tell the guild you're a flirty drunk when we get back home!"

"NO!"

"Yep!"

Lucy grabbed a pillow and starting to hit Natsu on the side with it. "Don't you dare, Natsu!"

"You can't convince me!" the boy replied, giving a mischievous smirk.

Lucy continued her assaults on the boy until something important dawned on her. Her blush deepened as she stared at him with wide eyes. "W-Wait a second… D-Did we… Did we end up having sex?"

"What? Of course not, you weirdo! I wasn't going to have our first time with you drunk!"

Immediately, Lucy gave a huge sigh of relief, dropping the pillow. "Thank goodness. I wanted our first time to be special, too. Not when I'm drunk and acting like an idiot."

"You weren't an idiot."

"Really?"

"Nah, you were pretty dumb."

"I hate you."

"Love you too. Now let's great ready!"

* * *

About a half hour later found the two approaching the pool. As always, it was full of other guests considering it was the cruise's main attraction. Well, free one at least.

Natsu walked Lucy to a lounging chair a few feet away from the edge of the pool, next to which was a little table to hold her things. Lucy laid a towel over the chaise lounge before sitting down and extending her creamy legs out.

A pleasant smile graced her lips as she picked up her notepad and pencil. She never left home without having something to write on. After all, some of her greatest ideas for her novels came to her when she was out on jobs or hanging out with friends.

Natsu's eyes trailed over the girl's body as she began to jot down ideas. His eyes were glued to her slender legs and he longed to trace his finger up the curve. Feeling his groin twitch underneath his swim trunks, the boy swallowed thickly and wasted no time in jumping into the pool. He was grateful nobody could see his erection if it came down to it now that he was underwater.

Natsu quickly found that swimming alone wasn't as much fun. He loved splashing Lucy and annoying her but he couldn't do that when she was working on her stories. Unless he wanted to end up friendless and with a black eye, that is. So, he floated on his back and rested his eyes instead of playing around.

Until he heard someone talk to Lucy.

"Mind if I sit here?" he heard someone ask. It was a male's voice, deeper than his own and it held some confidence. Confidence that Natsu wanted to destroy for talking to his girl. Despite this, he didn't make any moves other than opening his eyes and focusing his hearing towards the two.

"Go ahead," Lucy said. Natsu could just imagine the polite smile on her face. The one that many guys mistook for flirting.

"Thanks," the man replied. Natsu heard some rustling before he spoke again. "I'm sorry for cutting into your relaxation, but have you put on any sunblock? It's particularly bright today and you do have fairer skin."

"Oh, I haven't."

"Well you really should. Here, I have some that you can use."

Natsu growled lowly from where he floated in the pool. The increasing temperature of the water went unnoticed by him.

"Oh! Thank you! You sure are prepared!" Lucy said. Natsu could hear the lid to the bottle being popped open. Turning his head ever so slightly so that water didn't go over his face, he watched as Lucy bent forward and slathered her legs with the sunblock. She worked up her body and made sure to really get her arms. After, she moved her hair out of the way as she arched her back and reached behind her to cover her neck. Natsu wanted to sink his lips over that neck of hers.

That desire of his, however, was snuffed out with what the man said next.

"Why don't you roll over and I'll get your back for you, hun," he suggested.

To Natsu's upmost surprise, Lucy replied with, "Okay, sure. Thanks!"

With that, Natsu left the pool in the blink of an eye and appeared by Lucy's side, his eyes narrowed dangerously while he bared his teeth at the man that offered to rub Lucy's back. The man was tall and slim with dark hair perfectly styled in a combover so that not one hair was out of place. He wore green swim trunks and a tank top. His eyes were a bright shade of green, one that was sure to catch the ladies' attention.

Natsu growled and snatched the sunblock from the man's hands. "I got this under control."

"Natsu?" Lucy asked, her brows raised. "What are you doing?"

He ignored her, instead stepping closer to the man, who held his hands up and backed away. "What the hell is wrong with the guys on this ship? Don't you care about your wives at all? Lucy is _my_ wife, not yours! I'm tired of everyone staring at her and trying to feel her up! Don't you have a wife to go be with?"

"Well, no… Not exactly," the man replied with a frown. "Listen, I was just trying to help-"

"Save it. That's one of the oldest tricks in the book, even I know that!"

"Natsu," Lucy groaned. "You've got it all wrong."

"That's what he wants you to think, Lucy!"

"What's going on, babe?" a new voice called out.

Natsu turned his head to find another man approaching them. He had auburn hair and stormy grey eyes. His mouth was parted slightly as he switched his gaze between the man and Natsu.

"It's nothing, Takeshi," the man answered. To Natsu's surprise, he walked towards Takeshi and wrapped an arm around him before kissing his cheek. "This guy just thinks I'm hitting on his wife."

Takeshi laughed. "You really should stop offering to rub sunblock onto girls' backs for them, Sora. This always happens."

"O-Oh," Natsu stammered, his eyes wide. "Oh shit."

Lucy stood beside him, a deadly aura surrounding her. "He's _gay,_ Natsu. I saw him kiss his husband earlier so I knew he wasn't hitting on me. He was just trying to help."

"I see that now." Natsu walked towards the couple, scratching the back of his head nervously. "I'm really sorry about that, guys. Guess I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."

The man, Sora, smiled at him. "Don't worry about it."

"We better get going," Takeshi said, dragging along his husband.

"Wait, what about your sunblock?" Natsu asked as they walked away. He looked at his palm and found the bottle melted in his hand. He winced

Sora laughed. "Keep it. It was nice meeting you guys."

"You too," Lucy replied. Once they were out of their line of vision, she exhaled heavily. Then, she glared daggers at her partner before pinching his ear and pulling him towards her. "What the hell was that, Natsu!?"

The boy chuckled anxiously. "M-My bad!"

"What makes you think doing something like that is okay?"

"Well, we're married for starters."

"Natsu," Lucy gritted through her teeth.

"Okay, okay!" Natsu replied. "I was jealous. All these guys keep staring at you and I've been ignoring it but then he wanted to rub lotion on you and I-"

"Natsu, I love you. Do you love me?"

"What? Of course I do! What kind of a question-"

"Then you're supposed to trust me. I love you and that's not going to change, even if some guys stare at me. I want to be with you, got it?"

"Y-Yeah," Natsu replied, his cheeks pink. Hearing Lucy tell him she loved him never ceased to make his body do strange things.

"Besides, if some guy ever tries something funny, I can take care of myself," Lucy continued.

"I know you can, Luce. But it still annoys me sometimes."

"I know. I get jealous too. But we need to trust each other to handle it, alright?"

"Alright. Sorry, Lucy."

"It's okay. Now go back in the pool and show me your Fire Dragon Juvia attack again."

* * *

Once the sun began to set, the two returned to their room for the night. Lucy immediately hogged the bathroom for herself so that she could take a bath. After baking in the sun for a few hours, she was in desperate need of washing away all of the sweat that coated her skin.

Lucy hummed to herself as the tub filled with water. She poured a bottle of soap underneath the faucet, creating a thick layer of bubbles. To top it off, the girl dimmed the lights and lit a couple of candles on the sink to optimize her relaxation.

As Lucy submerged herself into the water, her mind thought of her tub at home. While her tub wasn't as grand as this one, her bathroom had a homier feel with all of her things. She was starting to miss home. Especially all of her friends.

" _I bet Happy is either eating fish or trying to win Charle's heart,"_ Lucy thought, leaning deeper into the water. _"Gray is probably with Juvia. And he's probably acting like he doesn't like her, as always. Erza is probably… Wow, I don't even know what Erza does on her free time other than eat cake or shop for armor. I'm sure Mira is at the bar serving endless drinks to Cana…"_

Lucy gave a heavy sigh. She really missed her friends. They were more than friends, actually. They were her family. Though they didn't share blood, they shared countless memories and unbreakable bonds. Fairy Tail, as wacky and destructive as they were, quickly became her family. The guild was her home.

And she was feeling homesick.

" _Next time I go on a trip like this, I'm bringing everyone with me. But then again, I'll miss having alone time with Natsu… You know what, we'll just get our own room!"_ Lucy's eyes widened a fraction as she thought about Natsu and the guild. " _What's going to happen with Natsu anyways?"_

They never did discuss the finer details of their relationship. Were they going to tell anyone?

" _Does Natsu want to go back to the way things were?"_ Lucy wondered with a frown. She quickly shook her head, unknowingly splashing water in the process. " _No, Natsu wouldn't want that. We already told each other we love each other. There's no going back now."_

With that, Lucy allowed herself to relax once again. No matter what happened when they returned home, she knew that they would still be together. Whether the guild knew or not didn't change that.

* * *

Eventually, both Lucy and Natsu were bathed and ready for bed. Not that they were going to be sleeping anytime soon, though. The two were sitting on the floor, playing a board game to pass the time.

Lucy frowned, stretching her back. She could hear her bones cracking. "We should go to the spa again."

"Sounds good to me," Natsu replied with a shrug. He actually quite liked the spa. Well, not so much the sauna. But the massages were amazing and the mud bath was nice too. "Is it expensive?"

"Probably. But we're on a cruise, we should make the most of it!"

Natsu chuckled. "What happened to Cheap Lucy?"

The girl narrowed her eyes at him. " _Cheap Lucy's_ back hurts." Tossing her cards onto the floor with the rest of the deck, Lucy rose and gave another stretch. "I'm going to lay down."

"Does your back really hurt?" Natsu asked in concern, watching as she got into bed.

"Yeah. It's nothing serious. It's probably just from me sitting on the floor for too long."

Natsu rose to his feet and climbed into bed behind the girl. "If your back is hurting then let me try massagin' you."

"Really?" Lucy asked, turning her head to look at him.

"Yeah! Better than wasting all your money, right?"

"I guess that's true… Alright. But be gentle!"

Lucy laid on her stomach and crossed her arms underneath her pillow, propping her head up even higher. Natsu sat up to the left of Lucy and lifted her pajama shirt to reveal her back. Using the heel of his palm, he gently kneaded her skin. He moved his hands around her back, occasionally hearing a popping sound whenever he did it over her spine.

Lucy gave a quiet moan. Natsu's calloused hands seemed to do the trick. She could feel her muscles loosening up and his hands acted as heating pads, soothing the pain from before.

They stayed in that position for ten minutes. Natsu nearly shuddered as he heard another moan escape Lucy's lips. Unbeknownst to her, her moans were driving him crazy and his hands were inching closer to her bum.

Lucy opened her eyes as she felt Natsu's fingers trail the hem of her shorts and immediately she was aroused. It was strange how just the smallest things he did managed to put her in the mood. Though, she wasn't sure if he was in the mood or he was just into the massage. So, she laid there to see what he would do next.

Anticipation welled inside of her each time she felt a fingertip slip through the hem and trace over the hidden skin. She arched her back hoping that he would get the hint and do more than graze her hem. She wanted him to go under and squeeze her. Much to her disappointment, he didn't seem to get the memo and instead withdrew his hands entirely.

Lucy was about to comment on this when Natsu suddenly moved and sat on her bum.

"W-What are you doing?" she asked, her face red as a tomato.

"Just massaging you," Natsu answered, his voice lower than normal.

A shiver ran through Lucy as Natsu's hands found her sides. He started at her hips, giving them a squeeze before running them up her curves. He moved at a slow pace, feeling every inch of her side until he reached the sides of her breasts. He brushed his fingers against the curves, causing her to exhale sharply.

In the blink of an eye, Lucy was suddenly flipped over onto her back. Her eyes darted towards Natsu's, instantly noticing the lust pooling in them. She then let her eyes admire his body, drinking in every inch of him until her gaze landed on his groin. Not only could she see the bulge in his pants, she could also feel it pressed against her and god did it feel great. She wanted to grind against it.

Natsu tore off his vest and threw it onto the floor. Lucy immediately traced her feelings over the indentations of his abs, causing him to swallow thickly. With excitement coursing through his veins like fire, he slipped his hands underneath Lucy's tank top to do some touching of his own. He trailed his fingers over her breasts in a tantalizingly slow manner towards her nipples, which were already hard with anticipation. His fingers grazed sensitive nubs before he gave them a sudden pinch, eliciting a loud moan from the girl beneath him.

With that, Natsu allowed his animalistic needs consume him as he removed his pants. Lucy seemed to have the same thoughts, for she ripped her tank top off to reveal her chest.

Natsu thought he would never get used to the sight of her breasts as he closed in towards them. Instead of playing around with her, he went straight for the kill and sucked on one of her nipples while he pinched the other. Lucy arched her back beneath him and began to roll her hips over his tented member. Natsu flicked the nub with his tongue, satisfied with the effect it had on her. Then, he moved to her other breast, closing his lips over it and torturing her.

While he continued to lick her nipple, Natsu moved his other hand to Lucy's shorts. She seemed to get the hint as she lifted herself so that he could wiggle her out of them. He paused from his work on her chest to see what underwear she was wearing, glad to find that she was in an incredibly thin, lacy black thong.

Suddenly, he felt Lucy's fingers slip through the hole of his boxers to free his member. Natsu gave a low growl as she wrapped her fingers around his shaft, giving him a hard squeeze.

Lucy smirked, loving the effect she had on Natsu. She studied every feature of him. His eyes were shut as he indulged himself in her touch. She dragged her gaze to his cock. It was big in her hand and curved upwards. She couldn't help but lick her lips as her mind began to imagine what he would do if she kissed the head of it.

Deciding to test it, Lucy propped herself up and closed her eyes as she kissed the tip of his member. Natsu immediately opened his eyes in shock as his body shook from the small kiss. The space between Lucy's thighs ached as she noticed the pleasure that she had given him. Pleasuring Natsu turned her on in ways she couldn't describe.

So, Lucy decided to continue her exploration with her mouth to pleasure him. She placed light, butterfly kisses over his shaft and his head. She could feel him shudder with every kiss and it fueled her to continue. With excitement and curiosity, she opened her mouth and lightly grazed his tip with her tongue.

Before she knew it, she was knocked back onto the bed and caged between Natsu's arms.

Natsu gave her a hard stare as he took deep breaths. "What do you think you're doing, Lucy?"

The girl flushed from his intense stare. "Nothing."

His eyes lowered to her chest before meeting her eyes again. "Oh really? Because it feels like you're teasing me. Two can play at that game."

Natsu moved his head down to her breasts once again, giving each nipple a kiss before leaving a trail of kisses down her body. She wiggled beneath him as he placed kisses on her sides, down to her naval, and then to the hem of her thong. With his teeth, he wiggled the thong off of her, leaving her naked.

Lucy flushed from head to toe as she was completely bare for the first time in front of Natsu. She couldn't help but feel insecure for reasons she didn't know.

Natsu's eyes lingered over her body, his cheeks pink and his eyes wide. "God, Lucy. You're sexy as fuck."

With that, he moved down the bed and squeezed Lucy's hips, his face lingering over her crotch. He spread her legs and left light kisses on the insides of her thighs, working towards her lips. To return the favor of her teasing, he allowed his warm breath to fan over her folds before placing kisses on her other thigh.

Lucy's body raked with anticipation each time Natsu's mouth drew close to her folds. She had never been kissed there or had even thought about it, but now that he was teasing her, it was all that she wanted.

After teasing her a few times, Natsu decided to get serious, gently kissing her lips before curiously sliding his tongue past her folds. His tongue grazed her clitoris, causing her body to shake. He gave it another lick, this time a bit harder. Lucy rolled her hips and gave a breathy moan.

Natsu slid his tongue deeper into her folds and towards her entrance. His tongue circled the opening, enjoying the way that Lucy spasmed from the touches. Then, he inserted the tip of his tongue, curious to see how she would react.

And damn did she have one hell of a reaction.

"N-Natsu," Lucy moaned, her hands landing in his hair and squeezing his pink locks. She pushed him closer to her juicy folds. "I-It feels really good."

"Oh yeah?" Natsu replied. "You mean when I do this?" He dragged his tongue over her clitoris again before sliding it into her. The scream she gave fueled sent fire coursing through him, and they weren't even at the finale yet.

Lucy arched her back and clenched Natsu's hair. With every lick, she could feel herself getting closer and closer to climaxing. All of the pleasure she was feeling was building up and she felt like she was going to explode.

"Faster," she breathed out as she grinded against his face.

Natsu did as he was told, flicking his tongue against her clitoris at a pace that had Lucy seeing stars. Whimpers escaped her lips as she could feel herself about to cum but she just wasn't there yet.

Natsu could tell that Lucy was getting impatient. Sliding his tongue back into her, he began to explore all of her. He dug as far as he could with his tongue and went in circles to make sure that he was hitting every spot. He could tell that Lucy was enjoying it from the way her breaths picked up, but she still wasn't there.

Natsu continued to ravage her entrance with his tongue while he slid his hand to her clitoris, knowing that it was a sweet spot. He began to rub it while he explored her with his tongue.

Lucy buckled her legs behind Natsu's head and pulled her closer to him. The pleasure she was feeling was indescribable. He continued to hit every spot of hers, switching up his pace and the pressure. All of it built up within her until finally there was a moment of stillness before she was screaming his name.

"N-Natsu!" she cried, arching her back and pushing her closer to him so that his tongue slid deeper into her. She completely shattered beneath him, her body spasming as he continued to torture her. She continued to ride him out until she could no longer take it, unbuckling her legs from behind and letting them drop onto the bed.

Natsu smirked in triumph as he lifted his leg to peer at Lucy. Her body was shimmering with sweat and her face was flushed with heat. Her brown eyes were half-lidded as she panted.

"Th-That was amazing," she breathed out as if unable to speak any louder.

"That's good," Natsu replied, placing a kiss over her forehead. He laid beside her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer so that her head rested over his chest.

They laid in a peaceful silence, Lucy tracing swirls over Natsu's chest while she regained steady control of her breathing. Her eyes lowered to his groin, able to see that he was still aroused. After all, she didn't finish him off.

The corner of Lucy's lips curled upwards into a smirk, ready to repay Natsu for his tentativeness. She wrapped her hand around his shaft, her smirk growing as she felt him tense from the simple touch. She began to pump at a slow pace, her grip feathery light on him. Natsu's legs buckled as he rolled his hips upwards with each pump.

After her little warmup, Lucy was excited to really begin pleasuring him. She quickened her pace and tightened her hold. She could hear Natsu's breathing grow rigid as his eyes screwed shut and he bit his lower lip to keep from moaning.

" _That won't do,"_ Lucy thought. " _If he made me moan, he better believe I'm going to do the same to him."_

So, she went harder, pumping up and down. She pictured what she was doing before Natsu took reign of their session. She had been experimenting with her mouth and his cock before he had stopped her and pleasured her instead.

Now that it was his turn, she was curious and excited to try again. Lucy slowed her pace with her hand and scooted closer to his member. This time, she was the one to spread his legs so that she could situate herself between them, all the while jacking him off.

Lucy could feel that he was close to his breaking point as he throbbed in her touch. Not wanting it to end so soon, she released him.

"L-Lucy?" Natsu called out, lifting his head to see what she was doing. She gave him a sultry smile before grabbing his shaft again, but unlike before, she didn't pump. Instead, she pulled his cock closer to her face before dragging her tongue over his shaft and sucking the tip.

Natsu's body shook and he fisted the sheets. "L-Lucy…"

"It's your turn now, Natsu," she replied in a teasing manner. She lowered her gaze back onto Natsu's throbbing member, lust pooling in the pit of her stomach despite just climaxing. She lowered herself onto him again, this time fitting more of him into her mouth. Drool collected at the sides of her mouth but she didn't manage to wipe it away as she began to bob her head up and down.

This seemed to drive Natsu crazy as he gave a rough moan, no longer able to hold it in. He placed his hand over her head and began to pull her closer so that he was deeper within her. Lucy almost started to gag but she quickly learned how to maneuver it better so that she didn't feel like she was choking. The gagging feeling was still there, but she could manage. She just wanted to pleasure him the way she pleasured her.

As Natsu throbbed within her mouth, Lucy knew that he was reaching his climax. His legs buckled and he fisted her hair and the bedsheets. To spice things up, Lucy wrapped two fingers and her thumb over the part of his shaft that she couldn't reach with her mouth and began to jack him off, all the while sucking him as well.

In a matter of seconds, Natsu gave a rough groan as his toes curled. Lucy's eyes shot open as a warm liquid entered her mouth but she didn't stop. She continued to suck and lick until every pump of the salty liquid in her mouth was delivered.

Not knowing what else to do, Lucy swallowed the thick substance in one go. Admittedly, she was a bit grossed out at first by it, but she got over it soon. Some of it still trickled down the corner of her mouth, so she wiped it away with the back of her hand. They sat in silence as Natsu calmed down from his ecstasy.

"Damn, Lucy," Natsu finally said, giving her a lazy grin. "That was great."

"I'm glad you think so," Lucy replied, returning the smile with one of her own.

Natsu noticed a bit of cum on her face that she had failed to wipe away. He winced and said, "Sorry about that, Luce. I should've told you I was about to cum."

"It's okay, I knew you were going to."

"You did? And you kept going anyways?"

"Yep! You did it for me so I wanted to do it for you, too."

Natsu grinned, pulling her in for a tight hug. "You're the best."

Lucy laughed and lifted her head so she could meet his gaze. "For what? Letting you cum in my mouth?"

"No, not just that! Just… everything."

"Well the same goes for you. I'm glad I'm taking this step with you."

Lucy rested her head over Natsu's chest again, a goofy smile glued to her face as she began to rest her eyes. The peace didn't last long, however, as she eventually sat back up.

"I'm going to go brush my teeth," she said, climbing out of bed and heading towards the bathroom.

"I'll join you," Natsu replied with a laugh. He watched her walk to the bathroom when something dawned on him. "Hey, Lucy. I just realized that I saw you naked even though we didn't have sex."

Lucy turned to look at him and shrugged. "Oral sex is still sex, right?"

Natsu grinned. "You always find loopholes to things."

With that, the two brushed their teeth and cleaned themselves off before getting dressed again. Lucy cuddled against Natsu's side and closed her eyes, a smile gracing her face.

" _I could get used to this."_

* * *

 **AN:** Writing this was way harder than the last chapter for some reason haha! Let me know what you guys think because this is new to me as well lol. By the way, what do you guys consider smut? Is it just sex or would this be considered smut too?

Barely got enough reviews for a sneak peek this time but here it is! :D

 _Natsu's cheeks dusted pink and his cock began to throb as Lucy approached him. She climbed onto his lap, which nearly had his heart catapulting out of his chest as he could feel her bare bottom on his thighs and the tip of his length poking into her stomach. He knew that she could feel it too as she scooted even closer to it before pressing her lips against his and grabbing him tight in her hand._

Looks like there's gonna be even more haha! :D

Thank you to the people that reviewed: **waiting-for-you443, MorriganFae, melissaanne29, MasterGildarts, Grizzly98, CupcakeGoddess22, LoveroftheWord, MrsScarletRose, FairyTailLover04, andy24amk, Juvia is my spirit animal, Mannyegb, ThayetJade, Aquarius the Key, Lucinda, Alexa60765, BigKahuna, sarara1.8, ToukaKanekiUlle, Anon dreamer, Lunahartz, Trottingham-sama, Soul Eater Maka, OtakuPrincess28, leelovesher, Nalulove, itsxoi, Tohka123.**


	13. Chapter 13

**AN:** Hello everyone! Been busy lately, you know how it goes. Anyways, I think it's pretty obvious by now but just to be sure I'm gonna go ahead and say that there isn't going to be a set updating day anymore. I just want to write when I feel like it tbh and I think it's better for me that way. :) Hope you guys like this chapter! :D

* * *

Chapter 13

Lucy arched a brow as she read the neon flyer taped to their door, Natsu reading over her shoulder. They had just finished curing Natsu's motion sickness for the day and returned to their room to find the paper taped to their door.

"What is that?" Natsu asked, resting his chin on the girl's shoulder.

"I guess the ship is having a magic talent show," Lucy answered.

As expected, a face-splitting grin graced Natsu's face as he snatched the flyer and read it over. "That's awesome! We gotta do this, Luce!"

"I don't think so."

"What? Why not?"

Lucy gave him a pointed look and placed her hands on her hips. "It can't be anything too dangerous and you are the epitome of destruction."

"I'm not that bad!" Natsu protested. "C'mon, Luce! I promise I'll be careful! And you can show off your magic too!"

"You think people would be interested in my magic? It's not as flashy as yours."

"Not as flashy? What are you talking about? Your spirits literally appear in flashes of light!"

Lucy giggled and led the way into their room. So he had a point there. Still, ever since she joined the guild, the girl didn't consider her magic as jaw-dropping as everyone else's. She loved her magic and it was fitting for someone like her; she had no friends in her mansion and now she had the best of friends on-call. She wouldn't trade her magic for anything else.

Despite this, Lucy didn't believe her magic was eye-catching as the others' in Fairy Tail. There was Natsu and his scalding fire, Gray and his beautiful yet powerful ice, Erza with her incredible armor, and so many more.

Natsu closed the door behind him and grabbed Lucy's hand before she could sit on the bed, turning her around to face him. He then snaked his arms around Lucy's waist, pulling her against him and staring into her eyes while smiling at her.

"I think you have the most awesome magic! Except for me, of course. Dragon slayer magic is the best. I mean, I was taught by a dragon," Natsu said, smirking at her.

"You're just saying that," Lucy replied. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the expression.

"I'm not, Luce! Your magic is really cool and rare! And it's powerful!"

"I know that, but most people don't. I hear what most people say about celestial magic and let me tell you, it's not good."

"Screw those people! Look, let's just do it! It'll be fun! And if anyone says something-"

"What? You'll turn them to ashes?"

Natsu smirked, slightly shaking his head. "I was gonna say that you can kick their ass."

Lucy laughed, shaking her head at how ridiculous that sounded. Beating up strangers for saying something rude was Natsu's thing, not hers. "Alright, alright. Fine. We'll do the show tonight."

"Yosh! I'm all fired up!" Natsu exclaimed, raising a triumphant fist in the air.

Lucy grabbed a change of clothes before heading to the bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower and then get ready."

Natsu watched Lucy close the door behind her. Part of him wanted to join her in the shower. After all, they had seen each other naked before. Still, he knew that since Lucy was a weird girl, she would still probably want to wait until they went all the way until they showered together.

That left Natsu with nothing to do while Lucy was in the shower. That gave him roughly forty minutes of absolute boredom, especially since he was no longer allowed to play with his magic in their room.

Natsu huffed and plopped onto the bed. He stared at his fist, itching to create flames. Any size would do, he just craved the familiar warmth and the indescribable feeling that spread through his body when he used magic. Shaking his head, the boy forced all thoughts of fire to the back of his head. Lucy would get mad if she saw him using magic on their bed again, he wasn't going to risk it.

But what was he supposed to do? Usually during their duller moments of the cruise, Natsu and Lucy would read their book to entertain themselves. But now that they finished their book, he had nothing to read. Unless…

A mischievous grin appeared on Natsu's face in a matter of seconds. He glanced to the bathroom door, tuning his ears to the sound of the showerhead to make sure Lucy wasn't finished yet. With that, Natsu noiselessly crept to Lucy's drawers, opening the top one to reveal her bras and underwear. Usually, he would entertain himself with her bras- he enjoyed flipping the cups inside out to mess with Lucy- but this time, he was on a mission. Digging through the soft fabric of Lucy's bras and panties, Natsu grabbed Lucy's notebook.

Natsu had found Lucy's hiding spot for her notebook on the first day of their cruise but never had the opportunity to look through it. Now, he had plenty of time.

Natsu flipped the notebook to the first page, revealing half a page of neatly written cursive. He knew this notebook was used only for quick drabbles for inspiration. The notebook she used for her novel, unlike this one, left no space untouched.

Natsu knew not to try to read the notebook Lucy used for her novel. Though he liked to tease her with it, he knew not to read it. Lucy was adamant about saving it for Levy and despite his original protests, he had grown to accept it.

Her drabbles, on the other hand, were different.

Natsu skimmed through the first drabble. It was a short paragraph describing the vivid colors of a sunset, probably written as practice for imagery. After that, he skimmed through the titles for something that stuck out to him. That was when his eyes landed on a drabble titled _Soft._

Natsu didn't know why the simple word appealed to him, but it did. So, he let his eyes scan the words. Immediately, his cheeks were set ablaze and smoke blew out of his ears. Blood dripped from his nose.

" _There's no way I just read that,"_ Natsu thought, the rosy tint in his cheeks unrelenting. " _Let me read it again."_

His eyes skimmed over the page again, surprised to find that he didn't imagine reading that. It was just so hard to believe. He had no idea that Lucy could write something so… _erotic._

" _This is about sex!"_ Natsu thought, reading the short story for the third time. He wiped away the blood from his nose, only for more to drip out when his eyes landed on the words _voluptuous breasts._

A large bulge appeared in Natsu's pants as he pictured himself doing everything in Lucy's drabble with her. It started with them on a soft bed with him running his hands over Lucy's soft skin. She trailed her fingers softly over his abs. Then he grabbed her hips before sliding himself into her over and over while he softly kissed her breasts.

" _No wonder why it's called soft."_

Natsu's ears twitched as he heard the water cut off, signaling the end of Lucy's shower. Natsu shut the notebook and scrambled to return it to its rightful place before sitting on the bed, attempting to act like normal. Though after reading the erotic story, it was hard to do thanks to his erection that still had yet to relax. There was no way Lucy would think that was normal.

After about five minutes, Natsu sighed with relief that the bulge in his pants faded away before Lucy finally left the bathroom.

Lucy immediately glanced towards Natsu, finding him sitting on the bed with a pillow in his lap. With a shrug, the blonde hung her towel up behind the door and sat beside Natsu, handing him the hairbrush.

"Want to brush my hair for me?" Lucy asked, smiling at him.

"Sure," Natsu replied. He moved to sit behind Lucy, caging her between his legs. He made sure to start from the bottom so that it wouldn't hurt as much. He kept a hand on the back of her head to also relieve some pain.

"We need to go sign up for the magic show after this."

"Okay. What are we doing after the show?"

Lucy turned her head slightly towards him and answered, "I figured we could buy another book for us! You really liked the last one, so I wanted to read another book with you!"

"Sounds good to me," Natsu replied with a grin. "The last story was good." His grin faltered at the word _story._ It reminded him of Lucy's erotic drabble. Shaking his head, he tried to push it to the back of his mind.

Natsu decided to focus on brushing Lucy's hair. He admired the shine that each strand held. Her hair was so golden it could rival Loke's magic. Her hair attracted him to her like moth to a flame.

" _Her hair is so soft,"_ Natsu thought, running his hand through the golden locks. " _Shit. Soft. That was the name of her story."_

Screwing his eyes tightly shut, the boy shook his head frantically. Just about anything was making him think of having sex with Lucy. And though he knew Lucy wouldn't belittle him for getting an erection, there was no doubt she would be confused over it considering he was just brushing her hair in her eyes. Besides, they had to leave soon anyways. He wouldn't have time to calm down.

Lucy gave a satisfied smile feeling the hairbrush run through her hair with ease, no longer getting caught in tangles. Now that she was ready to go, she rose from the bed and turned to face her partner, only to find him shaking his head with his eyes closed.

"Natsu?" she asked, her brows quirked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Natsu replied, his voice high-pitched weak. He was trying to think of anything to stop the blood traveling to his groin. " _Naked old people. Nope, didn't work. Okay, how about dog shit? Seriously, that didn't work? Okay, what about Gray?"_

Immediately, all of the tingling sensation in his groin stopped and he was flaccid. Breathing a huge sigh of relief, Natsu jumped off the bed.

Lucy stared at the boy in confusion. "What's up with you? Why are you acting like that?"

"Like what?" Natsu asked in return with a wide grin. "I'm always like this!"

"And you call me the weirdo."

"Because you are! Now let's go!"

Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand and quickly led the way out of the room, hoping that she would just drop the subject. They reached the lobby in less than a minute, finding that there was a line at the front desk where they were supposed to sign up. Luckily, the line went by quickly and they were at the front in minutes.

Lucy picked up a pen and peered at the paper, skimming through everyone's magic. So far, there were no other celestial mages or dragon slayers. In neat cursive, she signed her name and wrote down her magic type before handing the pen to her partner. Natsu's lips curled into a face-splitting grin as he messily scribbled his name below hers along with his magic.

"Thank you for signing up!" the receptionist said. "You may now head to the theater and the staff there will direct you after that."

Lucy and Natsu thanked the lady before going off on their way. They hadn't been to the theater once since their cruise but it wasn't hard to find since there were signs posted to lead the way for the event.

Once they reached the theater, they found the seats full of other guests.

"Hello!" an employee said. "Are you two in the show or are you viewers?"

"We're in the show!" Natsu answered, grinning in excitement. He was getting antsy to finally use his magic.

"Great! Just go in that line over there and we'll be starting the show soon!"

The two moved accordingly into the line. Lucy was glad that she chose to wear something decent: a white ruffled tank top, some light-washed shorts, and white sandals. She also tied her hair into a side pony with a pink ribbon.

The lights in the theater shut off, save for the spotlight that was shining down on the host, who was standing on stage. She was a couple years older than the two and wore a long, navy blue silk gown that reached the floor and silver heels that sparkled under the light.

"Hello, everyone!" the girl said, waving to the guests that were seated. "My name is Yuna and I will be the host for this evening. Welcome to the magic show!" The audience roared with applause loud enough to make the ground vibrate.

Yuna, who was clearly used to being on stage if her confident smile was anything to go by, placed her right index finger over her temple. Lucy and Natsu deduced that she was using telepathy magic to communicate with another employee behind the stage, who was getting the names of the contestants to report to Yuna for introductions.

"Our first contestant this evening is Mei Zhou!" Yuna said, gesturing for the said girl to come onto the stage. She had dark brown hair tied in a bun and wore thick layers of clothing along with glasses. "Mei uses ice magic!"

Frosty air surrounded the mage before she created small statues of ice. They were all small and adorable, but it was clear that Mei didn't hone her magic the way Natsu and Lucy had. To finish it off, the girl created a large ice wall.

Once Mei exited the stage, Yuna introduced the next mage, a male who could stretch his limbs. The show went on for a while, showcasing brilliant mages and their skills. So far, Lucy's favorite was a mage who was able to fly.

Lucy's knees shook as she stood next to the employee who gathered the names of everyone in the show. Her turn was next and she was starting to feel nervous. She wasn't a fan of being on stage in front of a large crowd.

"What's your name and your magic?" the attendant asked.

"I'm Lucy Heartfilia and I'm a celestial mage," the girl answered just as the contestant before her finished. She watched as the lady nodded towards Yuna, signaling that she sent the information telepathically.

Once the contestant before Lucy left the stage, Yuna clapped for him before exclaiming, "What wonderful elemental magic! Next up, we have Lucy Heartfilia. Lucy here is our very first celestial mage! How exciting!"

Lucy swallowed thickly before walking onto the stage, the spotlight following her. She could feel her legs shaking and hoped it wasn't obvious to the audience. Stopping beside Yuna, the girl gazed over the audience.

"Since your magic is so rare, why don't you explain it for those of us that aren't familiar with it?" Yuna suggested, smiling at her.

Lucy nodded, her cheeks on fire due to all of the attention. "U-Umm, my magic allows me to make contracts with spirits from the Celestial Spirit World and summon them into this world. There are twelve zodiac keys, which are very rare."

"Are those the gold ones on your keyring?" Yuna asked. Upon Lucy's nod, she continued, "Wow, you have a lot of them."

Lucy smiled and patted the keys on her side. "I've been blessed to have such wonderful friends."

"That's wonderful. How about you show off some of your magic then?"

Lucy nodded and glanced at her keyring, wondering who to choose. Aquarius was out of the question since she didn't have any water, not to mention that she would just gather everyone in some sort of typhoon. There was Virgo, but she didn't want her to create holes on the stage. Taurus would just ogle Yuna or herself.

Lucy decided to grab Gemini's key. With a swish of her hand, she summoned the spirit.

In a bright flash of light, the two appeared, floating in the air. The crowd awed at the sight of Gemi and Mini flying across the stage.

"This is Gemini, one of the zodiac spirits," Lucy explained. "They can turn into anyone so long as their magical power is similar to mine."

To demonstrate, Gemini transformed into Yuna, standing by the original herself. The crowd roared in delight while Yuna gaped at the spirit. They mirrored each other's movements.

Lucy grinned, glad that everyone was interested in her act so far. Gemini was a crowd pleaser as they transformed into random members of the audience and stated their name and unimportant information.

Getting over her nerves, Lucy pulled out another key as she explained, "Not all spirits are for combat. Some of them are considered more like pets. For example…" With another swish of her hand, Plue appeared with his dopey grin glued to his face. "This is Plue!"

The crowed cooed at the adorable spirit, especially the females. Lucy giggled, hearing some of the audience declare that they wanted their own little Plue.

Knowing that she couldn't showcase her celestial magic without the leader of the zodiac himself, Lucy waved goodbye to Gemini and thanked them for their help before summoning Loke. Loke always appeared in a brighter light than the other spirits. Lucy wasn't surprised that the audience had to cover their eyes.

"Hello, Princess," Loke greeted, grabbing Lucy's hand and kissing the back of it.

Lucy sighed, knowing that she was going to have an earful of jealous Natsu to deal with later. "Can you show these guys some of your magic for me?"

Loke arched a brow. "The only aesthetic thing about my magic is the bright light." Smiling at the audience, he continued, "I'm sure they would like to see a quick sparring match, however."

"With me?"

"Of course! They have to know that it isn't just the spirits that are strong!"

Natsu grinned from where he stood behind stage. Though he was going to kick Loke's ass later for kissing Lucy's hand, he had to admit the spirit had a good point. Lucy was a tough girl and he wanted others to see that.

Natsu watched as Lucy got into a defensive stance on the left side of the stage while Loke stood on the right. In the blink of an eye, Loke came charging at her, his fist enveloped in a bright glow. The crowd gasped, scared for Lucy. To their surprise, she jumped to the side and somersaulted to safety before grabbing her trust whip and cracking it his way.

Natsu's grin grew as he watched Lucy spar against Loke. For some reason, watching her fight was pretty arousing. He watched as the sweat built up on her body and creating a nice sheen over her fair skin. Her brows were tugged in determination as she concentrated on all of Loke's attacks. And he couldn't deny seeing her breasts bounce with every movement.

Meanwhile, Lucy was having fun sparring with her strongest spirit. Knowing that she couldn't take too much time, however, she stopped their battle and thanked Loke. Turning to the audience, she bowed respectively.

"That was exhilarating!" Yuna exclaimed into the mic. "Being able to summon spirits sounds like a blast! And Lucy, you're pretty strong yourself!"

Lucy flushed and smiled modestly. "Thank you. And I love all of my spirits."

Loke nudged her gently on the side and added with a smirk, "Lucy's the best owner I've ever had. And all of her other spirits can agree with me." Plue nodded his oversized head in agreement.

"That was amazing," Yuna said. "Everyone, give another round of applause for Lucy!"

As the crowd cheered and whistled for her, Lucy grinned from cheek-to-cheek as she exited the stage after sending Loke and Plue back through their gates. She hurried so that she could watch Natsu's performance.

"Next up we have Lucy's husband, Natsu Dragneel!" Yuna stated.

Natsu walked onto the stage, a toothy grin plastered to his face. He stood beside Yuna, gazing at the crowd. Lucy could tell from where she stood that he was eager to use his magic. His hands were balled into fists and he had the mischievous gleam in his eyes that made her worry.

" _I hope he doesn't set the ship on fire,"_ Lucy thought, sweat dropping from her forehead.

"Natsu is a fire dragon slayer! This is our first dragon slayer!" Yuna said. "Why don't you tell us about your magic? What makes it different from other fire mages we've seen?"

"My magic is made for fighting dragons!" Natsu informed everyone. "And I was taught by a dragon!"

"A dragon!?"

"Yep!"

"You're serious?"

"Duh! His name is Igneel! He taught me all I know!"

Yuna gave him a skeptical look. "Why would a dragon teach someone how to slay dragons?"

"That's a really good question!" Natsu replied as if he had never pondered the thought before.

"U-Umm, okay! Well then, show us what you've got!"

Natsu grinned and immediately covered his fists with scalding flames. The crowd awed, but they weren't too impressed considering they had already seen two other fire mages. And considering Natsu's magic was too destructive to showcase, it didn't leave him with much to show off.

Natsu gathered flames in his mouth and spit them into the air, forming the words _Fairy Tail_ along with its insignia. He then did some flaming punches and kicks, but the crowd was still unamused.

" _I wish I could do at least a Dragon's Roar,"_ Natsu thought with a frown.

Though his options were limited, he did know of one thing he could do with his magic that was sure to drop jaws.

"Anyone here got any fire?" Natsu asked the crowd. There was silence before a man raised his hand. He was an earlier contestant, one of the fire mages. "Send some fire my way!"

"Huh? You want me to attack you?" the man asked, gaping at the boy.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Yuna added.

"Don't worry," Natsu replied with a confident grin. "Just do it."

The man shrugged before sending a large ball of fire Natsu's way. Yuna shrieked and moved out of the way. The crowd gasped as the fire enveloped Natsu, scared that he had been injured. It was then that they heard Natsu scarfing down the fire. In seconds, the large fireball was gone, sucked up by the dragon slayer.

Everyone stared in silence, their eyes wide and their jaws hung on their hinges. They watched as Natsu wiped his mouth and grinned at everyone, waiting for them to register what he had just done. Lucy smiled from the side. She could understand their shock. She had been awestricken when she had first witnessed Natsu eating fire.

It was Yuna that spoke first.

"D-Did you just _eat_ the fire?" she asked, pointing weakly at him.

"Yep!" Natsu answered cheerfully. Turning to the man who sent him the fire, he continued, "Thanks for the meal!"

"What does it taste like?" someone from the audience questioned.

Natsu furrowed his brows in thought. "It's hard to explain. Just tastes like fire. It makes my insides all warm."

"Does eating fire do anything?" someone else asked.

"It makes me stronger and gives me energy. But I can't eat my own fire."

The crowd murmured questions to one another, all of them fascinated by Natsu's magic. Lucy smiled at Natsu, giving him a thumbs up.

"Alright! Well that was a wonderful contribution to our show!" Yuna exclaimed. "Everyone, give it up for Natsu!"

Everyone clapped for Natsu as he left the stage, jogging to stand by Lucy. He gave her a lopsided grin, ruffling her hair.

"You were great out there," he said, lacing their hands together.

"Same goes for you," Lucy replied. Butterflies fluttered around in her belly. Natsu complimenting her magic always seemed to have that effect on her. She hoped the feeling never went away.

"Wanna stay and watch the rest of the show?"

"Sounds fun!"

It took about half an hour to get through the rest of the acts and though the rest of the mages were great, none of them held a candle to Lucy and Natsu's performances. Lucy figured it was because their magic was rare so it caught more attention. The two were about to start heading out of the theater when Yuna spoke again.

"Every mage was terrific tonight," she said. "But only one act is going to take home the prize!"

Lucy and Natsu shared a quick glance.

"There's a prize!?" the former asked.

"Guess so," Natsu replied, a grin stretching over his face. "The winner has to be either you or me!"

"It's probably you then. I mean, how could someone compete with a weirdo eating fire?" Lucy asked with a chuckle.

Everyone turned their attention towards Yuna as she opened an envelope in her hand. She took a slip of paper out of the envelope and opened it to see who the winner was.

"The mage that impressed us the most tonight is…" Yuna said, drawing it out to build up the suspense. Everyone leaned forward in their seats, excited to see who won. Yuna grinned before exclaiming, "Lucy Heartfilia for her celestial magic!"

The crowd cheered, though some seemed disappointed that they hadn't won themselves. Natsu grinned and turned towards Lucy to find her eyes wide and a blush spread over her cheeks. He was glad that Lucy won and was happy for her.

"Wait, me?" Lucy dumbly questioned, pointing to herself. "Really?"

Natsu laughed and ruffled her hair. "Of course it's you, you weirdo! Who else is named Lucy Heartfilia?"

"But-"

"No buts! You kicked ass up there! Now go get your prize!"

Lucy smiled at her partner and nodded before scurrying back onto the stage and standing beside Yuna. The two girls shook hands and had their picture taken, which was apparently going to be used in the brochure for their next cruise.

"Congratulations, Lucy!" Yuna said. "You win an all-inclusive ticket to the spa!"

Lucy squealed as she accepted the ticket. Her luck on the cruise was astonishing! Even more astonishing was the fact that so many people thought her magic deserved to win the show.

"Thank you so much!" Lucy replied, giving a polite bow.

"You're very welcome! And with that, everyone, the magic show is now over."

* * *

Lucy and Natsu traveled back to their room and immediately plopped onto their bed with long sighs. After the magic show, a bunch of other guests circled them to ask them about their magic. At first, it was fun to telling them all about their magic but once they realized they were there for an hour, all they wanted was to be alone together.

"I never thought I would have fans," Lucy said, turning and laying on her side to face Natsu.

"What about when you become some famous author?" the boy asked.

"Well I haven't been published yet and I guess I never imagined myself becoming famous for my writing."

"You'll get published someday," Natsu assured, giving Lucy a smile that almost made her believe his words. Almost.

Being a slightly pessimistic person, Lucy replied, "I don't know about that."

"Wanna bet? I bet that you'll have one of your stories published. No, you know what? I'll take that a step further. I bet you'll win some type of award too!"

"You sure have a lot of confidence in me," Lucy said with a smile.

"Always have," Natsu replied, giving her a toothy grin. His eyes darted to her lips before returning to her brown orbs. "And you know, even though you'll have lots of fans then, I want you to know I'm your number one fan."

"Oh yeah?" Lucy asked, her heart beating faster from his low voice. It was a voice he reserved only for her in the bedroom. All she wanted in that moment was to press herself against him and place her lips over his.

Luckily for her, Natsu seemed to have the same idea.

Natsu wrapped an arm around Lucy and pulled her closer to him and dipping his head so that he could press his lips against hers. She craned her head back and molded her lips with his as they moved against each other in a perfect rhythm. Their hands roamed each other's bodies, Natsu's winding in her hair and Lucy's against his chest.

Lucy shivered as Natsu's hand slowly traveled from her hair to her lower back. Her skin was sensitive as everything was so sensual. A familiar, tingling sensation started to rise between her thighs as she grew aroused.

Natsu knew Lucy was in the mood as he could feel her body rubbing against him. He was in the mood too, of course, if the tent his sweats formed were anything to go by. He still didn't understand the effect Lucy had on him. He had seen plenty of attractive girls, some of which were dressed less modestly than others and yet none of them had his body reacting the same way Lucy did. Hell, she got him hard without even trying. In fact, one of his biggest turn-ons was watching her fight.

His mind reeled back to during the show when Lucy was sparring against Loke. The determined gleam in her eye, the thin layer of sweat over her body, the concentration, all of it had him wanting to do things to her that nobody else could.

Pulling away from their kiss, Natsu threw off his vest. His fingers then found the hem of Lucy's tank top, pulling it over her head and throwing it on the floor to reveal a red, lacy bra that covered more of her breasts than some of the other bras she wore.

The ache between Lucy's legs grew as she let her hands roam Natsu's chiseled torso, stopping just at the hem of his pants. Her gaze dropped to the bulge in his pants. With a smirk, she poked the covered tip. All she heard was a growl escaping Natsu before he suddenly pounced on her, his lips ravaging her neck while his hands groped her breasts.

Lucy wrapped her legs around Natsu, pressing him against her so that she could grind against him to relieve some of the ache. The friction was enough to somewhat soothe it, but once Natsu's lips started to travel, it was like a whole other fire burned within her.

Natsu placed rough kisses over Lucy's neck before moving towards her breasts. He kissed the upper part of her breast that was left uncovered. With teasing fingers, he slowly moved the cup of her bra down to reveal her entire breast. His lips immediately captured the hardened nub, lightly sucking it before rubbing his tongue over it.

Lucy let out a shaky breath. The friction between Natsu's hard member against her paired with his tongue over her nipple was bringing her closer and closer to her climax. She wanted to feel more of him. Pushing him away, she wiggled herself out of her shorts, allowing Natsu to do the same with his pants.

Natsu stared at Lucy's breasts, one of which still out of her bra. With precise fingers, he reached behind her and unhooked the bra to remove it completely. Now that there was nothing in the way, he massaged one breast while he licked the other, making sure to satisfy every bit of Lucy.

Lucy could hardly contain the moans that slipped out of her mouth as she rocked her body against Natsu's member, which was now poking out of the hole of his boxers and free against her panties. Each roll of her hips had her eyes rolling back in her head. She was just a few grinds away before climaxing. But she wanted more.

"N-Natsu," she breathed out. She raked her fingers over his back.

"Yeah? Do you want me to go faster?" he asked, hovering over her breast.

"It's not that-" Lucy let out a harsh moan as Natsu sucked her nipple. "I-I was thinking about taking my underwear off…"

Natsu lifted his head away from her breast and met her gaze. "Oh. You want me to use my tongue again?"

Lucy's cheeks tinted pink and she averted her gaze shyly, biting her lower lip. "No… I was hoping to try something new…"

With that, Natsu immediately understood what she was implying. His cheeks flushed as well as he sat up. Lucy followed his lead. They both sat there, staring into each other's eyes with curiosity and lust.

"Are you sure?" Natsu asked. He couldn't believe what he was hearing in all honesty. To think that Lucy Heartfilia, a girl who was more than capable of winning any man's heart, chose him to be her first and hopefully her last. It was just unbelievable.

"I'm sure," Lucy answered with a small nod. "A-Are you?"

"Yeah, of course," he replied.

"So, it's settled then?"

"I guess it is." Natsu gave her a serious look as he continued, "You can change your mind at any time, Lucy. You know that, right?"

Lucy gave him a smile and nodded. "I know."

Natsu smiled as well, cupping the back of her head and gently pulling her towards him for a slow, gentle kiss. The kiss wasn't rough as before, instead holding all of the passion that they held in that moment. It conveyed every feeling and showed just how much they wanted this. The simple kiss reassured each other that they loved each other and that this was a good step for them. They were going their own pace and that was enough for them.

Natsu pulled away from the kiss and opened the drawer of the nightstand. The box of condoms that had before embarrassed them was now like a gift from the heavens. They never imagined they would end up using them.

While Natsu opened the box, Lucy shimmied out of her underwear, her face crimson. She was still embarrassed about being completely naked in front of Natsu but was excited for the next step in their relationship. She watched as Natsu took off his boxers, grabbed a condom and opened the packaging. He pulled the latex and began to stretch it over his member. With curious fingers, she reached out and touched it. She gasped finding that it was gooey.

"Why does it feel like that?" Lucy asked.

"It's lubricated," Natsu answered. "It's supposed to make things easier."

"Oh. Well that's good then."

The two stared into each other's eyes before chuckling. They couldn't help but laugh at their own lack of experience. Still, they were glad that they could laugh in these situations. It only served to prove that their relationship went further than just meaningless sex. No, they were with each other for the long haul.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Natsu asked again. He didn't want her to end up regretting this.

Lucy smiled, pulling him in for another kiss. "I'm sure."

That was all Natsu needed to hear. He gave her a heart-warming smile before leaning forward and capturing her lips in a gentle kiss. They laid back down on the bed, Lucy beneath him. They took things nice and steady.

Natsu slowly lowered himself so that his member was against her. Lucy placed her hands over his back, subconsciously rubbing circles over his skin. She tensed as his tip grazed past her folds with ease due to both the lubrication of the condom and her own juices. She stilled as he met her entrance.

Lucy had heard from many girls that their first times were painful. Admittedly, she was a bit scared. Still, this was what she wanted, so she allowed Natsu to press for more.

Natsu, having felt Lucy tense beneath him, was growing nervous as well. He, too, had heard that girls felt pain losing their virginities. Scared of hurting her, he paused his movements, his tip still pressing against her entrance.

Lucy frowned, knowing that Natsu was scared of hurting her. In hopes of reassuring him, she took matters into her own hands. She pushed herself against him so that the tip of his member slid into her. To her relief, that seemed to do the trick, as Natsu seemed to gain some of his confidence back. He slowly began to sink himself deeper in her folds.

Lucy screwed her eyes shut and bit her lower lip before a whimper could escape. There was a dull pain that grew as he continued to explore deeper. Knowing it was just because of her nerves, the girl tried to calm herself down by taking deep and albeit shaky breaths. She couldn't help the tears that collected in the corner of her eyes, however.

Natsu could see the pain evident on Lucy's face and placed a gentle kiss over her forehead. She dug her nails into his back and he could feel blood slightly trickling from it. He didn't care, though. He knew that what Lucy was feeling was worse.

Finally, all of him was inside of her, meaning the worst was over. Lucy gave another shaky breath. Natsu then slowly retracted himself from her.

"Do you want me to keep going?" he asked with a frown.

Lucy nodded. "I want to keep going."

Natsu swallowed thickly and nodded, pressing another kiss over her forehead. Then, he sunk himself inside of her again, wincing when he heard a quiet whimper escape Lucy's lips. Truthfully, it felt great for him. She was warm and tight around him, of course it felt good. It would've felt even better though had it not caused Lucy any pain.

Natsu wanted to breathe a sigh of relief as he felt Lucy begin to relax around him. He sped up the pace just a bit, not too much to cause excess pain to the girl. His own breaths grew shaky as she tightened around his shaft.

Lucy's eyes relaxed as she slowly got more comfortable with the feeling. Each thrust had her body adjusting to it and eventually, the pain grew to pleasure instead. She could feel him throbbing inside of her. He continued to thrust into her, going deeper each time.

Natsu, wanting to hear Lucy moan, returned his lips to her breasts. He placed gentle kisses around her nipples before giving them each hard licks. He felt her starting to move herself against him as well now.

Lucy let out a sensual moan as Natsu started to flick his tongue over her hardened nubs. With each thrust, he continued to hit a sensitive spot that had her eyes rolling backwards and had her moaning his name. Soon enough, her toes started to curl and she dug her nails even deeper into Natsu's skin. Pleasure was building up inside of her and she was soon going to boil over.

Meanwhile, Natsu was in pure bliss. He let out rough moans with each roll of his hips. The wet sound his groin made each time he slipped inside of her combined with her moans had his arousal growing astronomically. He never imagined sex to feel this good. He also never imagined her insides to be so warm. Hell, it felt like fire. Familiar and warm.

Natsu felt himself about to cum but held back, wanting Lucy to reach her climax first. Luckily for him, he didn't have to wait long.

A tremor of pleasure rushed through Lucy as she orgasmed, practically screaming his name. Despite the previous pain- some of which still lingering- this orgasm was different from the others. This one was somehow _better._ It was like an out-of-body experience and it was like she was seeing stars as he continued to pound into her.

She wanted more. She wanted him even deeper inside of her. She straddled his legs, pulling him down and forcing him deeper within her. With that, she felt Natsu crumble and he breathed out her name. His arms shook as he tried to keep himself up. He continued to ride out their orgasms, letting every pump out. When he could no longer keep himself up, he pulled himself out of her and collapsed beside her.

The two were panting, sweat glistening over their skin. The dull pain Lucy felt still remained, but the rest of her felt calm and completely satisfied. She had no regrets at all and was glad that she kept going.

The two glanced at each other and smiled. Though it was rough at first, they were glad they took this step. Natsu brushed his lips against Lucy's.

"How was it?" he asked, a faint blush spreading over his cheeks.

"It hurt a little," Lucy answered honestly. "But it felt really great towards the end."

"A little?" Natsu repeated. "You were crying, there's no way that was just a little."

"It wasn't the worst. And I didn't cry that much! If it did, I wouldn't want to do it again."

"But you do want to?"

Lucy smirked. "Let's just say we've got three more condoms and we aren't letting them go to waste."

Natsu chuckled. "I'm so glad you said that because that was awesome."

The two shared a quick laugh. Deciding it was time to clean up, Natsu stood up from the bed, his face scrunching in disgust as he looked at the condom. There was cum filling the end of it and he was careful while removing it and threw it away.

"Wanna go take a shower?" Natsu asked.

Lucy blushed. "Together?"

"Luce, we just had sex. I don't think showering together is gonna kill anyone," he joked. "Hell, we're still naked."

Lucy laughed and nodded her head. "You're right. I'll shower with you." She got up from the bed and winced. Moving still hurt but she refused to let it hold her back.

Natsu noticed her discomfort and helped her to the bathroom. He turned on the shower to a warm temperature, knowing that Lucy liked the water extremely hot. When the water finished heating up, he grabbed Lucy's hand and helped her into the tub.

Lucy sighed happily as warm water washed all of the sweat off her body. The water also seemed to soothe the ache as well.

Meanwhile, Natsu frowned. "You're hogging all the water, Luce."

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. Here." She cupped some water and splashed it over him with a laugh. "Better?"

Natsu gave a mischievous grin and chuckled. "And you call me the childish one. But you know, Lucy, you worked up a sweat earlier." He picked up the bottle of body wash and upcapped it. "Here, I'll help you out." He then squirted the contents all over her, laughing as she squealed.

"Natsu, stop it! You're wasting that!"

"Can't hear you over all the water you're hogging, sorry!"

Lucy grinned and picked up the bottle of shampoo, opening it and pouring some onto the boy's head and squirting some onto his shoulders. He yelped as it was cold against his skin since he wasn't underneath the water.

After a few minutes of a quick battle to get the other the soapiest, they decided to actually focus on showering. Lucy rubbed shampoo into her hair, humming as she massaged her scalp while Natsu stood under the showerhead. When it was time to rinse, they traded places.

When it was time for body wash, Natsu watched as Lucy squirted some onto her hand and began to rub her arms. In seconds, he was already turned on and hard again. Snatching the bottle from her hand, he squirted some of the contents onto his palm.

"I'll do it for you!" he offered, his gaze falling onto her breasts.

Lucy's brows quirked and she glanced down at his cock, surprised to see it erect. "Wow, Natsu. Already?"

"It's not my fault! You're naked, wet, and rubbing yourself! What do you expect?"

Lucy giggled and shrugged. "Alright, you can do it for me. But no funny business!"

"Deal."

Natsu rubbed the soap over her stomach first. Squatting, he then rubbed it over her legs. Traveling upward, he grabbed her bum and made sure to rub it extra long, loving the feel of her flesh. He wanted to have another go right then and there. Knowing that Lucy needed to rest, though, he moved his hands again. Though, it wasn't much of an improvement since he then started to wash her breasts. And considering he was a boob-guy, he made sure to take his time.

Once they finished with their shower, the two dried off and finished getting ready for bed. They climbed under the covers and spooned. The two were tired out and couldn't wait to sleep.

Lucy turned to face Natsu and smiled. "I'm glad we did this."

"Me too," Natsu replied, mirroring the expression.

"Goodnight, Natsu."

"Night, Lucy."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

They shared a quick kiss before letting their eyes droop closed for the night, blissful smiles plastered to their faces.

* * *

 **AN:** So they did the deed! I know it wasn't as sexy as most smut is, but I wanted to take a more realistic approach with all the pain and stuff. WRITING SMUT IS SO HARD HAHA. Hope you guys still liked it! Anyways, did anyone else get the Mei reference? Haha! And did anyone notice that the sneak peek from the last chapter didn't show up in this one? That's because I rewrote the entire thing which is why it took so long for me to update.

Here's the sneak peek:

 _The last time they were in the mud bath together, they blushed from their close contact. This time, they welcomed each other with open arms._

Thank you so much to the reviewers: **Soul Eater Maka, FairyTailLover04, andy24amk, 00nighthowler00, waiting-for-you443, Mannyegb, Grizzly98, Lunacross777, MasterGildarts, Juvia is my spirit animal, madison16322, CupcakeGoddess22, FairyRains, Emoelmo41212, LoveroftheWord, MarissaS, BigKahuna51, itsxoi, Tohka123, FairyTailBandGeek, turtle3334, njj258, MorriganFae, Lucinda, CelestialLunaPanda-Senpai, Alexa60765, MrsScarletRose, Nalulove, Miamas, Verdant Phoenix, Lunahartz, UnicornsLoveNaLu, Maryquinn18, Leafychan, car213, definitecomet, Person.**


	14. Chapter 14

**AN:** Hello everyone! Back with another chapter! I posted this on my tumblr but for those that don't follow me, there are only five chapters left after this one. If there's anything you would like to see before the story ends, let me know in the reviews and I might add it if it fits with the story. :) (PS for those that asked after the last chapter, my mains in OW are DVA and Reaper and I use Widowmaker when I just wanna mess around lol.) Anyways enjoy lol.

* * *

Chapter 14

"Oh, it's you two again! Welcome back!"

Lucy smiled at Jean while Natsu nodded his head towards the feminine man. They had just finished seeing the medical mage for Natsu's motion sickness, something that they had grown tired of doing. Luckily- and also unluckily at the same time- there were only two and a half more days on the cruise, not including today.

"Hi, Jean," Lucy greeted. "We've won another spa day."

The man's brows skyrocketed as he stared them down with his widened orbs. "You won _another_ spa ticket? Just what kind of people are you two?"

"Just a couple of awesome mages," Natsu answered, a toothy grin stretching over his face.

"Clearly. Well, congratulations. You already know the routine then. Ready for the massage portion?"

Lucy sighed dreamily, remembering fondly the last massage. "Definitely. We were actually wondering if we could put the time of the sauna to our massages instead. Would that be possible?"

Jean frowned and shook his head. "Sorry. The tickets win you specific time frames with each activity. You could opt not to go into the sauna but you can't get more time for your massages. I'll give you two some time to think about it during your massages."

With that, the three headed behind the front desk and into the narrow hallway from last time. Jean led them to the same room as before, giving them the instructions once again just in case they forgot. With one last lingering, lustful gaze towards Natsu, he left the room.

"He definitely has a thing for you," Lucy teased with a smirk.

A shiver ran through Natsu. It wasn't that he had a problem with guys liking him. It was just that it reminded him of Master Bob, and that man was determined and scared him to the bone. "I could tell."

Lucy laughed, shaking her head. Knowing they only had five minutes to get undressed for their massage, she promptly grabbed the hem of her shirt before pulling it over her head.

All of the disgust and fear that Natsu held before vanished the instant Lucy took her shirt off. Lust replaced it in its wake and filled him to the core. He watched as her slender fingers maneuvered the button from her jeans before she shimmied herself out of them, which was difficult for her at first given her curves.

Natsu eyed Lucy up and down, dragging his tongue over his lips, though he'd rather be dragging it over her body. She was only in a thin bra and a pair of underwear that covered more skin than most of her other pairs.

Lucy reached behind her back to unclasp her bra. Glad that it only had one clasp, she unhooked it with ease, placing it with her other clothes. She was going to move to her underwear when Natsu's hands reached from behind her and squeezed her breasts. A shriek escaped her mouth and she turned red in the face.

"N-Natsu!" she shouted, though she didn't make any attempts to move his hands away from her. Instead, she relaxed into his body behind her, feeling the familiar bulge against her bum. "You're supposed to be getting undressed, you know."

Natsu used one of his hands to swoop her hair onto one side. He then returned his hand to her breast, giving her mounds another squeeze as he sucked her neck. "I know, but I couldn't help it, Lucy. You're sexy as hell."

The corners of Lucy's lips curled upwards into a satisfied smirk. "Well we can't have them walking in on us doing anything."

"What if we make it quick?"

"No way."

Natsu groaned, dragging his hands from her breasts to her hips. "Fine. But I get to take off your underwear."

"Only seems fair that you do," Lucy replied with a chuckle.

Natsu hooked the hem of her panties with his thumbs before sliding them off of her. She kicked them off once they were around her ankles. He stood at her rear, admiring it in all of its glory before giving it a plentiful squeeze. Lucy was a squishy person. He liked that.

"Alright, go get undressed now," Lucy instructed as she wrapped the towel around herself. Just like before, it was short and didn't cover as much as it probably should have.

Natsu did as he was told, shrugging his vest off and letting it drop to the floor. Getting undressed didn't take as long for him since he didn't have as many layers. And while Lucy kept her clothes neatly folded and stacked, he simply balled them up, not caring that his boxers were visible.

The two positioned themselves over their tables. Natsu made sure that Lucy's towel covered every inch of her bum before squishing his face in the hole of the headrest.

Eventually, the masseuses entered the room, standing in front of them. From their feet, Lucy and Natsu could tell that both masseuses were girls this time, which Natsu was thankful for. He couldn't deal with another guy rubbing his hands over Lucy. Only he could do that.

Just as the last time they were there, the masseuses held different lotions in front of their faces, asking them to pick the scent that they liked the most. With that, the massage began.

Lucy gave a quiet moan of satisfaction as they dragged their hands over her back, kneading into her. Her muscles weren't as tense from when she first boarded the ship, but it still felt nice to unwind. Her back felt uncoiled and relaxed. She wished she could bring home one of the masseuses once the cruise was over. She would need it after all of the crazy jobs they went on.

Meanwhile, Natsu was already snoozing away, his loud snores filling the room. The massage added with the mixed scents of the lotions put him to sleep like a baby.

After thirty minutes of pure bliss, their massage was over and the masseuses left, locking the door behind them to allow Lucy and Natsu to get dressed.

Unlike the last time, Lucy got up without caring that Natsu was going to see her naked. Instead, she sat on the bed and rolled her shoulders backwards. Natsu, having just woken up from his nap, gave her a lazy grin.

"Do you want to go to the sauna?" he asked. "We didn't like it last time."

"I know but it seems like such a waste not to go," Lucy replied with a small frown. "I say we suck it up and go."

"You sure? You're gonna sweat a lot."

"So are you!"

"Not as much as you. I'm a fire dragon slayer, I'm better with the heat than you are."

"Cheater," Lucy muttered, crossing her arms over her bare chest.

"I ain't a cheater!" Natsu denied, glaring at her.

The two stared each other down before bursting in a fit of laughter. They wrapped the towels around themselves, waiting for Jean to escort them.

When Jean arrived, his gaze immediately fell onto Natsu's revealed abs. Lucy felt bad for the man. To work at a spa meant that he saw countless of shirtless, attractive men, all of whom also happened to be married. Such unfortunate luck.

The two were led to the sauna room. Giving each other a hesitant glance, they swallowed thickly before sliding open the glass door and stepping inside the steamy room. They were glad this portion only lasted ten minutes.

They were drenched in sweat when Jean returned to escort them to the mud bath. The two took breaths of fresh air as they stepped out of the hell forsaken room. Jean merely laughed at their behavior, telling them that most people enjoy the sauna. They couldn't believe it.

Once they were led to the mud bath, Jean locked the door from the outside. Lucy stared at the bubbling mud in excitement. As disgusting as it sounds, the mud bath truly did work wonders for her skin, and though it was hard to get used to at first, it felt good submerging herself into it.

"Ready?" Lucy asked, throwing caution to the wind as she removed her towel once again, leaving her naked.

Natsu grinned, drinking in the sight of her body. His lower region throbbed faintly in arousal. "Seeing you like that never gets old."

The girl merely rolled her eyes, though the blush that spread over her cheeks betrayed her words. "Are you going to stand there and stare at me all day or are you going to get in the tub with me?"

He smirked. "I wouldn't mind just staring."

Lucy shook her head before dipping her toe into the mud to test its temperature. It burned against her skin but in a good way. Carefully, she lowered herself into the mud. Glancing towards Natsu, a mischievous grin graced her face as she whipped the gooey substance towards her partner, hitting him on the chest.

Natsu laughed, his eyes sparkling in amusement. Stepping into the pool, he channeled his magic to make the mud boil. In seconds, Lucy was glaring at him and flailing her arms about, mud flying everywhere from the action.

"Stop it, Natsu!" she shouted, slapping his arm.

"Is that any way to ask for a favor?" he asked with a smug grin.

"You're right. I'm sorry. Stop it or else I'm going to beat the ever-living crap out of you!"

Natsu cackled before cutting off his magic, taking a seat in front of Lucy. She glared at him for a little while longer before breathing a content sigh, her eyes drooping closed in relaxation. The only thing that could make this any better, in her opinion, were cucumber slices for her eyes. Truthfully, she didn't know what effect they had on people at spas. But in all the books she read, characters always put them over their eyes and she's wanted to try it since.

Natsu studied Lucy. All he could see of hers was her face and the top of her neck because the mud covered the rest of her. Still, all he could imagine was her bare body right in front of him.

He couldn't get last night out of his head. He had sex with Lucy. His partner. His supposed wife. His best friend. They did things that they couldn't take back, not that he'd want to, anyway. Still, their relationship progressed further than he'd ever expected it to. If someone had told him a month ago that he would sleep with Lucy, he would merely laugh in their faces for how could someone like Lucy want to sleep with someone like him?

But she did choose him. She chose him to be her first. Just like he chose her.

Everything felt right in the world. It was as if they were made to be together. He didn't know where the journey would take them, but he knew he had hopes for things he had never thought of before.

He wanted a relationship. He wanted to live with her. He wanted to get married- something that he didn't understand the need for before, save for Alzack and Bisca's case, of course. He wanted to have kids and grow old together.

He was getting ahead of himself, he knew this. But it didn't matter. It didn't have to happen sometime soon, but he wanted each and every single one of those things and he hoped Lucy wanted it as well.

"Natsu? Hello? Earthland to Natsu?"

The said boy jolted at the sight of Lucy's hand waving in front of his face.

"Oh, my bad. What's up?" he asked, giving the girl a sheepish grin.

Lucy arched a brow. "I was just asking if you were enjoying the mud bath."

"Oh. Yeah, it's great I guess."

"You guess? What's not to like?"

Natsu's lips twitched upwards into a smirk. Grabbing her wrist, he yanked her forward so that she was collapsing over him, her body pressed against his. His lips hovered dangerously close to her ear as he said in a low tone, "You're not close enough."

Lucy went red in the face as Natsu's warm breath fanned her ear, sending a tremor through her. "I-I was only a foot away."

"Still not close enough."

Natsu pulled away from her ear only to crash his lips against hers, molding them together. Lucy's resolve crumbled and she found herself wrapping her arms around his neck as she moved into a more comfortable position. With Natsu's help, she moved to sit on his lap, straddling him.

Their bodies were pushed against each other tightly, the only thing keeping their skin from touching being the layer of mud between them.

It was funny, really. The last time they were in the mud bath together, they blushed from their close contact. This time, they welcomed each other with open arms.

Lucy felt Natsu harden beneath her. He seemed warmer than the bubbling mud and she longed to have him inside of her to fill her with warmth. Rolling her hips over his member, she fisted his hair. It hurt a bit to rub against him after last night, but the pleasure surmounted the pain.

Natsu moved his hands onto her breasts, squeezing her flesh. Running his fingers over her mounds, he gave the sensitive peaks a pinch, eliciting an erotic moan from Lucy, who arched her back from the touch. Natsu longed to drag his tongue over her and would have had there not been mud covering her.

"This feels amazing," Lucy breathed out, grinding against him. "I wish we could actually do it right now, though."

Natsu gave her another squeeze. "Why don't we?"

"Because we're in a public place, dummy."

"So? They clean out the mud each time. And we've got time to kill." Natsu trailed his finger over her shoulder.

Lucy smiled but shook her head. "As much as I would love to right now, we aren't doing it here. It's too risky. Besides, I don't want mud inside of me."

"Hate to burst your bubble, Luce, but you probably already have some mud in you."

"Well, there would be more if we had sex."

Natsu smiled at the girl, kissing her forehead. "Alright, I hear ya. How are you feeling anyways?"

"Better," Lucy answered. "It still hurts a little bit but it's way better now."

"That's good." Natsu frowned deeply. "I don't like hurting you."

"It's not your fault, Natsu. Blame the female anatomy." Her cheeks tinted pink as she continued, "We just have to keep trying some more so that my body will get used to it."

Natsu blushed as well. "You really want to?"

"Of course I do. Do you?"

"Hell yeah!"

Lucy giggled. "It's settled then. We'll keep trying."

Natsu gave a toothy grin. "I'm all fired up."

* * *

Lucy led the way back into their room, heading straight for the bathroom. She turned on the shower and began to strip away her clothes. Though she washed all of the mud off her body, she was still in need of a shower.

Natsu joined her. He was glad that they could shower together now as it saved him time from being bored and alone in their room while Lucy took her hour-long showers. Surprisingly, the girl didn't take her time under the water and actually used her time to bathe. He figured it was because showering was her way of relaxation, but after being at the spa for the past hour and a half, she was relaxed enough.

Once both were squeaky clean, they turned off the water and dried themselves off. Knowing that they weren't going to go out again that day, Lucy threw on some silk pajamas, which felt good against her exfoliated and moisturized skin.

Natsu's stomach growled. "I'm gonna go get some snacks, Luce. Wanna come?"

The girl shook her head. "No thanks."

Natsu nodded, grabbing a key and some money before leaving their room.

Lucy strolled to the desk, sitting down and grabbing a pen and piece of paper. She didn't have all the materials she usually used but it didn't matter. She had been wanting to do this since she got on the ship and felt bad for neglecting it.

A wistful smile graced Lucy's face as a familiar sadness pooled her eyes. Picking up the pen, she began to write.

" _Hello, Mama. It's been a while,"_ she wrote. " _A lot has happened since I wrote to you last. I'm on that cruise I told you about. It's wonderful. I've been needing a break from the mage life and I finally feel refreshed."_

A faint shade of pink spread over her cheeks as she wrote, " _Something else has happened, Mama. Remember Natsu? Well, we are together now. We don't have an official label or anything, but I love him, Mama. I love him in ways that words can't describe. He's not just my best friend anymore. He's more than that. Is this how you felt about Papa?"_

Tears welled in the corners of her eyes but she blinked them back. " _I hope you and Papa are having fun together now that you are reunited. I miss both of you every day. I know Papa and I weren't exactly close over the past years, but I miss him dearly. I wish we could have mended things before. Could you tell him I miss him for me? And… And tell him I love him, too."_

A pesky tear slid down Lucy's cheek, prompting her to shake her head. She didn't want to cry. She didn't want to think of all the negative things while she was away. She just wanted to be happy.

At the thought of happiness, Natsu's face invaded her thoughts, causing a warm smile to grace her face. With that, she continued writing.

" _Anyways, back on Natsu. I know I've told you a lot about him before. I told you how he is brash, reckless, and mischievous. He is still all those things, of course. But he is the best person for me, I know it. He cares about me and has always looked out for me. He also believes in me, even when I don't believe in myself. None of this is new, though. He's always been like that. I think that's why I fell in love with him in the first place. You would love him, Mama. You would tell me you are proud of me for finding real love. And I know Papa would have too. Well, I should get going. I'll write to you again soon. Goodbye, Mama. I love and miss you and Papa. Take care."_

Lucy smiled as she folded up the letter. She didn't have an envelope or sticker, so she tucked it away in her notebook. She was about to stand up when warm hands landed over her shoulders, causing her to squeal.

Turning her head, she found Natsu peering down at her, the normal mischievous gleam in his eyes replaced with curiosity. He glanced between her and her notebook.

"I didn't even hear you come back," Lucy said.

Natsu shrugged. He was being quiet so that he could scare her, but once he was behind her and saw what she was writing, he instead stayed quiet. "You write to your mom a lot."

"Huh? How do you know about that?"

"The rest of the team and I accidentally knocked over your box once and we saw all of your letters. We wondered why you never sent them out until we found out your mom already passed."

Lucy gave a sad smile, tearing her gaze away. "It may seem pathetic-"

"It doesn't!" Natsu denied.

"I do it because it makes me feel closer to her. It makes me feel like our hearts are connected in that moment."

"…Does it work?"

"Well I can't say for sure about our hearts being connected, but it does work on making me feel closer to her." Lucy studied the boy, wondering why he was so interested in her letters. She stared into his onyx orbs and that was when she found it. The same sadness she felt whenever she thought about her parents was deep in his eyes. "Do… Do you want to try?"

Natsu thought about it for a moment before nodding his head. Lucy got up from the seat, gesturing for him to sit down. Then, she grabbed a fresh sheet of paper, sliding it in front of him.

"Do you want me to leave the room?" Lucy asked.

Natsu quickly shook his head. "Nah. What am I supposed to write about anyways?"

"Anything you want to. Whatever you're feeling, thinking."

Natsu picked up the pen albeit a bit skeptically. He didn't fully believe that writing a letter could make him feel connected to Igneel, but if Lucy stood by it, he would give her the benefit of the doubt. So, he began to write.

" _Yo, Igneel,"_ he jotted down. His handwriting wasn't neat cursive like Lucy's but it was still legible. " _Been a while. I don't know what to write."_

Lucy shuffled awkwardly, twirling a lock of golden hair around her finger. She was curious as to what Natsu was going to write but didn't know if she should read it. The letters were supposed to be private and sentimental but since he read hers, she figured he wouldn't mind if she did the same.

Lucy let her eyes fall over the paper. It was clear that Natsu was struggling to come up with anything. It was hard for him to loosen up and just write whatever came to mind.

"Do you want to see mine for some inspiration?" Lucy offered. Upon Natsu's nod, she retrieved her letter from her notebook, unfolding it and putting it on display for Natsu to see. Some of it was a bit embarrassing- particularly all the mushy stuff she wrote about him- but she could tell that he needed some help. And she really wanted him to try writing to Igneel. She was sure it would help ease the pain in his heart if just by a bit.

Natsu's cheeks were rosy as his eyes skimmed over every word Lucy wrote about him. It made his heart feel light and he was glad that she felt that way. Suddenly inspired, he picked up the pen again.

" _I met a lot of people since you left,"_ he wrote. " _I'm in a guild called Fairy Tail. I'm a part of Fairy Tail's strongest team. There's Erza, who is Fairy Tail's strongest girl. She's really strict and a pain in the ass. But she's kinda like an older sister to me. Then there's Gray. He's an idiot, always saying stupid things. But he's not the worst person in the world, I guess. There's also Happy. He's one of my best friends. He's an exceed and he's my partner. Finally, there's Lucy."_

Lucy's heart sped up in anticipation. Natsu wasn't the mushy kind of person, and that was okay for her. She knew how he felt about her even if he didn't always outright say it. But perhaps he would be sincerer in the letter. It wouldn't hurt to read what he thought of her every once in a while.

" _Lucy's weird,"_ was the first thing that came to Natsu's mind at the thought of Lucy, so he jotted it down. He saw Lucy tense in annoyance and stifled an amused chuckle. " _It makes her really fun to tease. And she's hilarious. And snarky. She's really nice to other people but when it comes to me and Happy, she can be really feisty. I love it. She's a celestial mage which is really cool. She's really strong. You would've teased us if you were here. Probably would've told her all the embarrassing stories from when I was a kid. I'm sure Lucy would love to hear all of them. Then she would never stop making fun of me."_

Words came to Natsu easily now that he was on a roll. " _I could live with that though. I like that side of her. I think you two would hit it off and I really want you to meet her so you need to get your lazy ass home already. I haven't been looking for you much lately. My bad. But I will find you. And when I do, I'm gonna beat the shit out of you for leaving using the magic you taught me._ _I got a lot stronger since you left. I use my magic to protect my friends. Come home soon and I'll introduce ya to everyone in Fairy Tail. Hurry up and come home. I'm getting impatient, you bastard."_

Natsu put the pen down and folded up the piece of paper. He wasn't sure what to do with it next, so he handed it to Lucy.

"All done," he said, getting up from the chair. "You're right, it does make me feel- Are you crying?"

Lucy hastily wiped away the tears that welled up in her eyes, grabbing the letter. "No."

"Yes you are!" Natsu pressed on. "Why are you crying, ya weirdo?"

"I'm not weird! It's just that… It was a nice letter, that's all."

Natsu smiled, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her in for a hug. "You really are a weirdo."

"Whatever," she muttered into his shirt. "It made me really happy that you wrote about me. And that you want me to meet Igneel one day."

"Well of course I do. You're my best friend."

"You really think he would like me?"

"'Course he would. He'd probably like you a little too much if you ask me."

Lucy giggled, holding him tight. "I can't wait to meet him one day. We'll find him, Natsu. I promise."

"Yeah, I know," he replied, smoothing down her hair. "Thanks, Lucy."

"You're welcome."

The two stayed in each other's embrace, content. Perhaps if they met at a different time and under different circumstances, Lucy's parents would've loved Natsu and Igneel would've loved her. Things were fine the way they were, though. As long as they loved each other, they were happy.

* * *

 **AN:** Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Here is the sneak peek:

 _"Wait, what?" Sora asked his husband. "That's a completely different story than what Lucy told me."_

 _"What did she tell you?" Takeshi questioned._

 _"She told me that they had a wedding with their guild."_

 _"That's weird. Natsu told me they got eloped. Wait a second... Do you think they're lying?"_

 _"Well obviously one of them has to be. But which one is it?"_

Thank you to all the reviewers: **FairyTailLover04, LoveroftheWord, Emoelmo41212, Lunahartz, Lunacross777, MorriganFae, HollyDragneel, FairyRains, Mannyegb, madison16322, Soul Eater Maka, Lucinda, Alexa60765, MasterGildarts, KhiraWard, MrsScarletRose, BigKahuna51, Melissa Squibb, D, Verdant Phoenix, turtle3334, animequeen100, caturine, Hypernova, sarara1.8, Kirinah, Nalulove, OtakuPrincess28, Guest.**


	15. Chapter 15

**AN:** It's been a long wait, I know. My boyfriend just left for bootcamp so I have plenty of time to write but surprisingly no motivation lol. But I did manage to get this chapter out. 4 left after this so make sure to let me know what you would like to see and I will see if I can squeeze it in! :D

* * *

Chapter 15

The bed creaked as the mattress shifted weight, all of the warmth that had covered Lucy's back like a blanket now gone away with Natsu's absence. In seconds, the familiar retching noises commenced. With that, the blonde knew that their day had begun and she could no longer sleep.

Their day began just as any other. Lucy dragged Natsu to the lobby to cure his motion sickness for the day, they walked back to their room, and were now lazily sitting in their room up to their own devices.

Lucy used that time to drabble. With their cruise, the girl had been greatly inspired to write and had ideas rolling in her head every second. She wished she could jot them all down, but there just wasn't enough time in the world. So, she settled for the idea she liked most and let her hand do the rest, filling the page with neat cursive.

Natsu eyed Lucy, a lazy grin etching itself onto his face. He enjoyed watching her write- though, he wasn't allowed to do so very often. Lucy was a very private writer. Even Levy, the one person that she allowed to read her stories, hadn't been able to skim a sentence of a story before it was finished.

Still, thanks to the cruise, he had been lucky. He was able to watch her tongue dart of her mouth in sheer concentration. He could watch the way her brows furrowed in thought. He watched as she tapped her pencil on her chin as she tried to come up with the right word. It was in moments like these that he had been able to really admire her beauty.

Soon enough, Lucy finished her short drabble. She tucked her notebook back into the drawer. Not like it mattered now, however. Natsu had apparently found her hiding spot for it.

"What do you want to do now?" Lucy asked, sitting beside him on the bed.

Natsu's eyes darted to her lips before meeting her gaze again. With a smug grin he answered, "I could name a few things."

The girl scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Idiot."

"In all seriousness, I actually do have an idea. I heard some of the other guests in the lobby talking about some sorta scavenger hunt. There could be a prize at the end!"

Lucy's eyes practically sparkled with greed. "That sounds fun! Let's do it!"

Getting ready took them a little over an hour thanks to Lucy's showering habits. Not to mention that she spent ten minutes simply selecting an outfit. Hell, she didn't even end up choosing. Having lost his patience, Natsu simply tossed a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt at the girl, urging her to hurry up so they wouldn't be late.

When they reached the lobby, they found that there were plenty of guests pooled at the front desk, waiting for the scavenger hunt to begin. So far, the scavenger hunt was the most popular event, save for the special dinner.

The two stood behind the rest of the crowd, waiting eagerly for someone to start the game. To their surprise, it was Yuna that was leading the scavenger hunt, along with another employee.

"Hello, everyone!" the exuberant girl greeted with a bright smile. "I see a lot of familiar faces here! Who is ready for the scavenger hunt?" The crowd roared with cheers. "I'm sure all of you are wondering if there is going to be some prize or not and the answer is… Of course! Today's winners will receive special meal tickets for a plate of our Black Forest Mousse Dessert!"

While a lot of the other customers were disappointed that it wasn't a cash prize or spa ticket, Natsu was shot up with adrenaline. He didn't have much of a sweet tooth, but that mousse had his taste buds flying all the way to Edolas. What better prize than food?

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu said, bouncing with excitement.

Lucy giggled, glad to see that he was enjoying himself. His catchphrase always seemed to warm her heart.

"Everyone, please get into two single-file lines so that my assistant and I can hand out the clues!" Yuna instructed. Everyone did as they were told and in no time, the papers were all handed out. "The rules are simple! First, no magic is allowed during this game. Second, there will be no pushing or shoving of any kind. Each clue will lead you to one of these." She held up an umbrella toothpick. "The ones we've hidden are numbered so you have to bring back all ten. You don't have to go in order. The first couple to bring back all ten wins! Now, go and find those toothpicks!"

Immediately, the crowd dispersed as couples tried to separate from one another. Natsu and Lucy walked far away from everyone else so that they wouldn't be able to hear them discussing the clue. They didn't want to help the other contestants.

Natsu read the first clue aloud. "The first toothpick is where relaxation commences. That's an easy one! That's the spa!"

Lucy nodded. "They probably get harder as we go. Everyone else is probably heading over there right now. Why don't we just do the next one now and we'll get that one after?"

"'The second toothpick is where your stomach is happiest.' That has to be the dining hall. Let's go look!"

Natsu and Lucy rushed towards the dining hall. Just as the latter had said, the other couples went straight for the spa, leaving the deck clear for them to run freely. Throwing open the doors, the two immediately investigated every nook and cranny of the room before finding a pink umbrella topped toothpick hiding in one of the potted plants. There were plenty of others for the other guests. They took one and examined it, finding that the number two had been written on the umbrella.

The two shared a quick high-five, beaming at each other.

"We already know where the first two are!" Natsu exclaimed. "We rock!"

"We're definitely ahead of the game!" Lucy added. "Come on! What's the third clue?"

"For those with a passion for fashion," the boy read aloud. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Oh! That has to be Heart Kreuz! They're the most popular clothing brand in Fiore! Let's go!"

Just as they exited the dining hall, a flurry of other guests rushed inside, obviously having figured out the second clue. Grateful for their head start, the two scurried off to what was the most overpriced store in the country.

Twenty minutes later, Natsu and Lucy were on the sixth clue. They had already picked up the first toothpick on the way to the fourth, which was hidden in a bucket behind the towel rack by the pool. Just as Lucy predicted, the clues did get vaguer as they progressed. The fifth took them a while to find as it was actually in a vending machine.

They were about to head to the front of the ship when somebody had bumped into Lucy's shoulder.

With an apology at the tip of her tongue, Lucy turned to face the guy to find that it was Sora, next to whom was his husband, Takeshi.

"Oh, it's you two!" Takeshi said with a polite smile.

Sora smirked as he glanced at Natsu. "You're the one that thought I was hitting on your wife and went all ballistic on me."

"I wasn't that bad," the dragon slayer muttered, his cheeks tinting pink at the recollection of what had occurred.

Lucy laughed at the rosy hue of the boy's cheeks before addressing Takeshi. "Are you guys doing the scavenger hunt too?"

"Yep!" he answered. "What number are you guys on?"

"We're looking for the sixth one. We actually don't know where to look."

"Oh! We found that one! We skipped number five because we couldn't find it. Want me to show you where it is?"

"Sure! That would be great!" Lucy answered, beaming at him. Wanting to return the favor, she continued, "Why don't you show me where number six is and Natsu will take Sora to number five?"

"Great! Let's go!" Takeshi replied.

Lucy gave a short wave to her supposed husband before walking alongside Takeshi back to the vending machine that had the fifth toothpick. Though their first encounter happened on not-so-favorable terms, the blonde was glad to meet a nice couple. As they walked, the two engaged in idle chatter.

"So how long have you been married?" Takeshi asked.

"Not too long," Lucy fibbed with an awkward chuckle. "We're newlyweds."

"Oh, that's wonderful! Sora and I have been married three years now. This trip was for our anniversary."

"That's so sweet. How was the wedding?" Lucy asked with a dreamy smile. Despite her father's incessant meddling with her love life and almost arranging her marriage, the girl had always dreamt of getting married. She didn't dream of a fancy venue or a five-tier cake, but the thought of being married to the love of her life had her swooning. And now when she thought of her future wedding, she imagined herself walking down the aisle towards a certain pink-headed boy.

"It was wonderful," Takeshi answered, his eyes sparkling at the recollection. "We had our parents there and all of our friends. And let me tell you, Sora looked gorgeous in his white tux. What about you? How was your wedding?"

Lucy recalled the day she and Natsu played couple games with the other guests. Luckily, she remembered the story Natsu had told and was able to retell it. "Natsu and I are in a guild called Fairy Tail. We consider them our family so we just had it in the guild. It wasn't anything too fancy."

"That sounds lovely, dear."

The two entered the small room that held the vending machine. They didn't need to actually buy anything, as the toothpicks were stored in the drawer that the candy dropped into. Lucy grabbed one and handed it to Takeshi with a smile.

"Here you go!" she said. "This one was tricky to figure out."

"Thanks!" the boy replied, shoving the toothpick into his pocket. "Let's go meet up with Sora and Natsu now!"

* * *

Natsu huffed as he crossed his arms, following behind Sora as he led the way to the sixth toothpick. So far, all the other boy had done was tease him for what happened the other day. It wasn't like it was his fault. It was an honest mistake! Who wouldn't get mad at someone for offering to rub their wife's back?

The two walked on deck, heading towards the library. Lucy had a feeling that the sixth toothpick was in the library but they didn't know where to start looking in the vast room. There were too many possible hiding places, it would've taken them hours to comb through them all. Natsu was surprised Sora and Takeshi were able to find it.

"So how did you and Lucy meet?" Sora asked, trying to fill the silence that surrounded them.

"We met on a job," Natsu answered, crossing his arms behind his head. As always, a grin graced his face at the memories that resurfaced. "I accidentally saved her from some creep and then she saved me."

"So, you two are mages?"

"Yep. I'm a dragon slayer and Lucy is a celestial mage. You didn't watch the magic show? She won."

"Oh really? No, Takeshi and I were… busy"

The smirk on Sora's face informed Natsu of exactly what they were doing.

Sora cleared his throat, thinking of a new topic. "So how was your wedding? Lucy seems like the down-to-Earthland type."

"She is." Natsu thought about the easiest lie to go with, figuring that it didn't matter anymore. There was only one full day of the cruise left so they probably weren't going to get caught. There was only one answer that he could think of that wouldn't bring up more questions. "We just got eloped. No cake, no dress or tux, no fancy place. Just us."

"Oh really? You sure are lucky then. Your wallet was saved big time with that."

The two stopped talking once they reached the library. They quietly walked up to a bookshelf. Natsu watched as Sora grabbed a thick book off the shelf, the rule book and safety procedures for the cruise. Behind it in the empty space were the toothpicks.

Natsu grabbed one before Sora returned the book to its rightful spot. With that, they left to meet up with their spouses.

* * *

In the end, neither couple won the scavenger hunt. Instead, another couple apparently soared through all of the hints and finished it in record time. Lucy was under the suspicion that they had been on the cruise before and knew where all of the hiding spots were ahead of time. Lucy and Natsu headed back to their room for the night, slightly annoyed that they were bested and couldn't indulge themselves in the delicious mousse.

"Lousy cheaters," Natsu muttered, plopping onto the bed.

Lucy stretched her arms over her head, releasing a loud yawn. "Oh well. It's not like we can prove it. I just want to take a nap. All that walking tired me out. Want to join me?"

Natsu shrugged, making room on the bed for Lucy. The two climbed under the covers, the girl wrapping her legs around his side and resting her head over his chest. In minutes, she was snoozing away, Natsu following shortly after.

* * *

Takeshi smiled as he and Sora finally returned to their bedroom. He took off his shoes and put them in the corner of the room before sitting on the bed, patting the spot beside him and prompting his husband to sit down.

"That was fun," Takeshi said with a smile.

"Yeah. Too bad we didn't win," Sora replied.

"We even had Natsu and Lucy help us. What a shame. But I had a lovely time talking to Lucy. I wonder what a guild wedding is like. Do you think that they have mages with special decorating skills?"

"What do you mean by a guild wedding?"

"Hmm? Oh, I asked Lucy what her wedding was like and she told me that she and Natsu had a laidback wedding at their guild. I forgot which guild they are a part of."

"Wait, what?" Sora asked his husband. "That's a completely different story than what Natsu told me."

"What did he tell you?" Takeshi questioned.

"He told me that they got eloped."

"That's weird. Lucy told me they had a guild wedding. Wait a second… Do you think they're lying?"

"Well obviously one of them has to be. But which one is it?"

"Wait, do you think that they aren't actually married?"

* * *

Nearly two hours later, Lucy's eyes fluttered open. To her delight, she was face-to-face with Natsu as he slept. She loved watching him sleep. He always seemed so calm with his mouth parted slightly. Her eyes landed on a tuft of hair that was covering one of his eyes. With a warm smile, she went to move it away when suddenly she was met with a pair of onyx eyes staring at her.

Natsu blinked once, then twice, staring at Lucy's fingers just inches away from his face. A yawn escaped his mouth before he gave the girl a dopy grin. "Yo."

"Hi," Lucy replied with a smile. Finishing what she had started, she brushed the pink lock out of his face to truly admire his deep eyes. They were as dark as the bottom of the ocean.

"You sleep well?"

"For the most part, yes. But it was really hot. I need to learn not to wear sweatshirts when sleeping by you. I'll burn up." Lucy sat up, the blanket falling to her thighs as she removed her sweatshirt, leaving her in a spaghetti-strapped tank top.

Natsu's gaze immediately dropped to her breasts, his tongue sliding out to lick his lips. The loose tank top did nothing to hide her generous cleavage and he wanted nothing more than to indulge himself with her skin. He felt his cock throb, itching for her touch.

After having gone all the way the other day, Natsu wanted to try again. He was just being patient and waiting for Lucy to initiate it, not wanting to pressure her in any way. He really hoped she would initiate it soon, though.

Lucy stretched, unaware of the reaction it brought from her partner, before glancing back at Natsu. Her cheeks flushed, however, when her eyes landed on a tent of the blanket. That was when she realized how low her tank top had been and how much she was showing.

Nothing aroused Lucy more than Natsu's arousal. Seeing the bulge underneath the blanket, a warmth pooled in the pit of her stomach as a tingling sensation erupted between her thighs. The ache was needing to be relieved and she knew just how to do it.

With teasing fingers, Lucy reached out and dragged a finger over his covered shaft. Despite the distance between her finger and his skin, she still felt him shiver from her touch and she heard a shaky exhale coming from her partner.

"You know…" Lucy began, her voice just a sultry whisper, "we still have three condoms left. We can't let them go to waste."

Natsu nodded quickly, glad that she was on the same track. Letting his instincts take over, Natsu pounced on Lucy, knocking her back on the bed. His hands found home on her breasts, massaging the mounds. He pressed his member against her, enjoying the slight relief he felt from the action.

Lucy closed her eyes and let Natsu work his magic on her. His thumbs ran circles over her nipples, causing her to arch her back and press harder against his shaft, which was poking out of the hole of his boxers.

With this, Natsu knew to step it up. He lifted the hem of her tank top to reveal her breasts. Placing gentle kisses on her stomach, he moved upwards in a tantalizingly slow speed towards her chest. He smirked, feeling her squirm below him. When he reached the underside of her breast, he left soft kisses and moved in a circle around her nipple to tease her. Then, he moved to her other breast, doing the same.

When he had his full of teasing Lucy, Natsu grazed his tongue over one of her hardened nubs, eliciting an erotic moan from the girl. He made sure to get her entire areola, knowing that the skin was sensitive. He shuddered, feeling Lucy roll her hips against him.

Wanting to feel Natsu's warm body against hers, Lucy sat up and tore off her tank top. Knowing that wasn't going to be enough to satisfy herself, she moved to strip away her sweatpants when Natsu latched onto her wrist.

"I'll do that," he said with a smirk. He ran his hands over Lucy's breasts and down to her sweatpants, grabbing the hem and shimmying her out of them. He made sure to run his hands over her thighs in the process, giving the flesh a harsh squeeze. When she was left in nothing but her underwear, he spread her legs apart and trailed butterfly kisses along the inside of her thighs and up to her lacy panties, doing the same to her other thigh. He smirked noticing that her panties were already soaked with her juices and his cock throbbed in anticipation of feeling her wetness.

Natsu placed a hard kiss over her clothed folds before his animalistic instincts kicked in. He tore his teeth through the thin fabric, literally tearing it off of her.

Lucy gasped seeing Natsu had ripped her panties off of her. While some girls would be upset about their torn underwear, she had found the action to be a turn-on. Excitement bubbled within her as she waited for Natsu to continue pleasuring her.

Natsu dragged his tongue over her folds, flicking her clitoris. Lucy moaned as her toes curled and she gripped the bedsheets. Feeling inspired by her reaction, he teased her by licking her entrance. Finally, he pushed his tongue as deep inside of her as he could.

Lucy gave a breathy sigh of pleasure as Natsu's tongues moved in circles against the edge of her opening. She fisted his hair and lifted her legs, wrapping them around his head. The warmth within her continued to build up along with the pleasure. Every flick of his tongue brought her closer to climaxing.

But that wasn't what she wanted. Not yet, at least.

Lucy unhooked her legs from the back of Natsu's head and lifted his head to smirk at him. Her eyes were sparkling with sheer lust as she pulled him up and pressed herself against his shaft again. Natsu shuddered feeling her juices on his skin. He rolled his hips roughly against her.

Lucy reached towards the drawer and grabbed another condom from the box. She hastily tore away the packaging, needing to feel him inside of her again. Natsu grabbed the condom and pulled away so that he could slip it on.

With that, the two smiled at each other, ready to explore each other's bodies some more. Natsu leaned over and pressed his lips against hers in a gentle kiss before slowly sliding the tip of his member inside of her.

Lucy screwed her eyes and winced slightly as her body still wasn't used to penetration. Luckily, it didn't hurt nearly as much as the first time and the pain was not as noticeable after Natsu slid all of his length into her. Instead, all she could feel was pleasure and the intense heat of his cock throbbing within her.

Natsu released a shaky breath after going as deep as he could inside of Lucy. Her folds were so warm and tight against him, he never wanted to pull away. He started slow and steady, trying to make it as painless as possible until Lucy was used to it. Her entrance clung against his shaft and tugged at the skin as he pulled out.

Placing his hands on her hips, Natsu eased himself inside of her once again, this time causing Lucy to moan. This lit a fire within him and brought his animalistic needs forth once again as he sped up his pace.

Lucy began to pant with each thrust. She could feel her breasts bouncing as Natsu pushed himself in and out of her. Wanting to make things even better, she brought her hands to her breasts and teased at her nipples, pinching the peaks and rubbing her fingers over them.

Natsu released a low growl as he watched Lucy play with herself. Grabbing her wrists with one hand, he pinned her arms above her head. He kept himself steady with his other hand as he leaned over and captured one of her sensitive nipples and sucked roughly on it.

"N-Natsu," Lucy breathed out. She wrapped her legs around his torso, pushing him deeper inside of her. Her fingers raked his back and soon she was seeing stars as he continued to pound in and out of her.

Still, she wanted him deeper within her.

Lucy lightly pushed him out of her before skillfully flipping them over so that she was on top of him. Pressing her hands over Natsu's chest, she lowered herself slowly onto his cock. The slight pain returned as the new position caused his member to reach a newest depth.

Natsu moaned as his body shook with pleasure. Watching Lucy lower herself onto him was one of the sexiest things he had seen so far in his life.

"Fuck, Lucy," he breathed out, his voice ragged and scratchy.

Lucy lifted herself upwards before pressing him deep in her again. She continued to bounce on his cock, the buildup making her breathless.

Natsu watched with half-lidded eyes as Lucy's breasts bounced every time she lowered herself onto him. He felt so close to release, but he bit his lower lip to keep from climaxing so that he could finish her off first.

Grabbing her hips, Natsu sank himself even deeper into her as he rolled her against him. A breathy moan escaped Lucy's mouth from the action and she continued to ride against him. Her pace was slower now that she wasn't bouncing onto him but the friction was much more pleasing. Letting her instincts take over, she rolled her hips in circles with his cock inside of her, his thick shaft exploring her edges.

Lucy's toes curled as the pleasure continued to build up within her. Everything felt hot and tingly, the sensation swelling until finally, there was an explosion of pleasure.

"N-Natsu!" Lucy shouted, her fingers curling over his chest. She continued to rub against him as her body raked and she panted. She rode him out until the bouts of pleasure ended.

Knowing that he was now free to climax now as well, Natsu tightened his grip of her hips and pounded himself into her, thrusting upwards and going as deep as he could. He literally lifted her in the air before slamming himself inside of her again, loving the feeling of sinking into her over and over again.

He could feel his cock throbbing and the warmth increasing. His breathing grew shaky as he felt Lucy close around him each time he lifted her. He took the time to admire Lucy. His eyes were enticed by her breasts bouncing with each thrust. But even more enticing was the girl's face. Her face was flushed with heat and her mouth was parted as she continued to pant. Her skin glowed with a thin layer of sweat. She was so beautiful.

Finally, his body shattered and his legs began to spasm as he was in sheer ecstasy from climaxing. He bit his lower lip roughly and continued to sink into Lucy. He released three pumps before letting his arms drop by his sides.

Lucy lifted herself from Natsu, taking note of the filled condom. She plopped onto the bed in heavy pants, her eyes closed. She felt the most relaxed she had ever been.

Natsu kissed the girl's forehead before carefully removing the condom and disposing it. His face scrunched in disgust as some of the warm liquid got onto his hand in the process. Then, he laid beside his partner, just as relaxed as she was.

Turning to face each other, the two chuckled before snuggling next to each other. They needed a shower after working up a sweat but they could relax for a little bit longer. Lucy rested her head on Natsu's chest and gently trailed her finger over his other pec.

Everything felt right in the world. With Natsu, there was no pressure to be anyone other than herself. He loved her for who she was. Lucy wasn't overcome with nerves around him, as he'd been her best friend for a while now. Despite the lack of nerves, he still managed to take her breath away and light a fire within her with simply a cheeky grin. Their relationship- whatever that may've been- was easy, comfortable, and exciting.

Natsu's dopy grin refused to relent as he watched Lucy's finger tracing over his skin while he played with the ends of her hair. While he missed the guild and Magnolia, he could see himself getting used to this. He knew that their relationship would change once they returned home, as they wouldn't have as much alone time together. So, he was grateful for every minute he had with her on the cruise.

Sadly, tomorrow was their last full day on the cruise. After that, they had about half a day before they reached Hargeon Port. Natsu was not looking forward to the train ride back to Magnolia. He had had mages working on his sickness every day, he wasn't ready to deal with it again.

Lucy sighed happily as she dragged her finger over Natsu's skin. Her eyes gazed at Natsu's length, which was just about half a foot away from her face. It was still semi-hard, not yet limp. Wondering if it was possible to get him hard again so soon after their first round, she moved her finger down to his groin and stroked his shaft with one finger.

His cock twitched from the touch and with a couple more light strokes, it was back to its full length. Lucy smirked, loving that she could get him aroused so easily. Hell, she could even get him in the mood without even touching him. But to think that she could make him hard so shortly after their first round, she was filled with pride and satisfaction.

"What? You wanna go at it again?" Natsu asked with a fanged grin.

"Maybe," Lucy drawled out, wrapping her hand around his shaft. "Would that be wrong?"

"Hell no."

Both grinned as Natsu laid Lucy on her back and positioned himself on top of her. He sunk his lips over her neck before moving upwards and licking the shell of her ear. Lucy spread her legs wider apart so that Natsu could press himself against her, not yet sliding into her. First, they wanted to build up to it again.

Natsu began to grind against her, feeling the wet juices from before on his skin again. As Lucy wrapped her legs around him, Natsu began to thrust harder against her, causing the bed to rock and moans to fill the room.

* * *

"Not again," Takeshi groaned, slamming a pillow over his face. "They just had sex! Why are they doing it again?"

"Well, you and I go for more than one round sometimes," Sora reminded his husband with a chuckle.

"Yes, but it's midnight! We aren't that loud!"

"Just try to ignore it."

Takeshi nodded, trying to drown out the inappropriate noises coming from the room above them. They had started hearing them during their love sessions for the past week but they had been particularly louder the past couple of days. And now they were going to go at it _again._ Did they not hear the bed banging against the wall? They could at least have the decency to be quiet!

Once there was another bang against the wall followed by a loud moan that must've been fake- he hadn't met a girl that had a real orgasm like that- he lost all patience.

Throwing off the blanket, Takeshi put on some pajama pants and turned a sharp look to his husband.

"I'm going to tell them to keep it down. Are you coming with me?" Takeshi asked, his voice laced with annoyance.

Sora sighed. Usually his husband was a calm man with a smile on his face. He knew not to go against him during the rare times he was angry. "Right behind you."

The two made their way to the staircase before stalking down the hallway in search for the offending noises. And to think that they were even louder up here! These people were animals!

Finding the room that was right above theirs, Takeshi knocked harshly on the door twice. The banging stopped and was followed by someone moving around.

Once Takeshi heard the doorknob turn, he began his long list of complaints. "We're from the room below yours. It is midnight and you two have been going at it forever now. You are loud and I don't want to hear-"

The words died in his throat as the door opened all the way to reveal Natsu, a towel wrapped around his lower half and Lucy, who was wrapped in the bed sheets. Her golden hair was disheveled and her face was burning crimson in embarrassment. Meanwhile, Natsu merely narrowed his eyes at him, obviously annoyed that their private time had been interrupted.

"O-Oh. It's you guys," Takeshi said, his face heating up as well. He wasn't expecting that at all.

"I-I'm sorry, guys," Lucy replied, her head hanging in shame. She truly didn't know how loud they were being.

"No, no! I-It's fine! J-Just maybe be a little quieter next time?"

"Will do. Sorry again."

Natsu closed the door, leaving Takeshi and Sora standing in disbelief. Then, Sora chuckled.

"Well one thing is for sure now. They are _definitely_ married."

* * *

 **AN:** Got some more smut since I made you wait so long. :D Hope you guys liked the chapter! :D

Thank you to those that reviewed: **MasterGildarts, FairyTailLover04, 00nighthowler00, andy24amk, MrsScarletRose, Juvia is my spirit animal, LoveroftheWord, FairyRains, Lunahartz, Mannyegb, MorriganFae, Lunacross777, Kirinah, LovingmyOTP's, Hypernova5.0, Alexa60765, animeflower107, edelweiss03, BigKahuna51, mylonelyratsclub, Guest, Lucinda, Tohka123, turtle3332, CupcakeGoddess22, Nalulove, sarara1.8, azami-x, Guest, Dinoadge, Guest, Soul Eater Maka.**


	16. Chapter 16

**AN:** This chapter is a little shorter this time. I have mixed feelings for this chapter but it's already been over two weeks so I'm done rewriting it and I'm just going to post this chapter lol. Let me know what you think lol.

Only 3 chapters left after this!

* * *

Chapter 16

Happy breathed a heavy sigh as he lazily flew into the guild that morning. Taking his spot by the other Fairy Tail exceeds, he frowned. Though it was partially his fault- okay, maybe all his fault- that Natsu and Lucy were on a cruise without him, he missed them a lot and wanted them to come home soon.

"What's wrong, Happy?" Pantherlily asked, noticing his glum expression.

"I miss Natsu and Lucy," Happy answered. "Two weeks is a lot longer than I thought it would be."

"Maybe you shouldn't have lied to them about the cruise then," Charle chimed in disapprovingly. If she were in his shoes, she would've told Lucy about her mistake the moment she saw the flyer.

"But I wanted to help them! I'm sick of them playing dumb around each other! They obviously like each other."

Out of nowhere, Mira appeared. Her blue eyes were burning with curiosity as she sat beside them.

"Who likes each other?" she asked in excitement.

"Natsu and Lucy," Happy answered. With that, everyone else in the guild circled around them.

Gray, having already lost his clothes and was standing in nothing but his boxers, scoffed. "Like? More like love. Those idiots are head over heels for each other. It's disgusting, really."

"Juvia thinks it's romantic!" the blue-haired girl gushed. Clasping her hands together and staring at the ice-make mage with hearts in her eyes, she continued, "They sound like Gray-sama and Juvia!"

"As if!"

Everyone rolled their eyes at the two's commentary before turning back towards Happy. It was Cana that spoke next, after taking a swig of alcohol, of course.

"They'll be back tomorrow, don't get your panties in a bunch," she said. "And don't forget, everyone. We get to find out who won the bet! Gray, Gajeel, you two are gonna be handing us your money tomorrow, you better show up!"

Gajeel scoffed and crossed his arms. "Oh, please. Salamander doesn't have the guts to tell Bunny Girl he likes her. They're gonna come back being the same idiots they were when they left."

"Whatever you say! Just make sure you have the money ready, got it?"

"Same goes to you, you drunkard. Seriously, it's like ten in the morning. Who the hell drinks straight out of the barrel at ten in the morning?"

With a wave of Cana's hand to dismiss Gajeel's remark, everyone returned to bickering about Lucy and Natsu's romantic situation. Whether they were just friends or something more, they no longer had to wait long. Tomorrow, they would get the answers they were looking for.

* * *

Natsu and Lucy shared a collective sneeze before glancing at each other with raised brows. They had just returned from curing the former's motion sickness for the day.

"That was weird," Lucy said. "You think someone is talking about us right now?"

Natsu shrugged. "You actually believe that stuff?"

"You don't?"

"Nope. Why would anyone be talking about us?"

"I guess you've got a point."

Lucy grabbed her suitcase and opened it beside the drawers. The two had decided they would pack today rather than waiting until the last minute. Well, Lucy decided it. Natsu just went along with it. After complaining, of course.

While the two were sad that their time alone together was coming to an end soon, both were excited to see the guild again. They missed everyone, especially Happy. They hoped their third musketeer was taking care of himself.

"Happy's probably blowing all of our money off on fish right now," Natsu said with a chuckle.

"And probably scratching my walls," Lucy added, smiling fondly at the thought. Well, not the thought of Happy scratching up her walls, but the thought of Happy himself.

"I wonder how many fishbones are lying around now."

"That's disgusting. Seriously. You need to teach that dumb cat how to clean up after himself. And while you're at it, teach yourself how to clean up, too."

"Life is more fun a mess!"

Lucy merely rolled her eyes, focusing on the task at hand.

Natsu allowed his eyes to roam Lucy's body as she folded her clothes neatly before tucking them into her suitcase. She was wearing a loose, white tank-top that revealed most of her breasts. Why she bothered wearing it in the first place, he would never know. To go with the revealing top, the girl also wore gray pajama shorts that were barely longer than what was considered underwear-length. He could even see a touch of her navy-blue panties underneath her shorts. His eyes landed on her neck, which was in view since she tied her hair up in a high pony.

Natsu wanted nothing more than to sink his lips over her neck but knew that Lucy would beat him into oblivion if he even tried it. She had been nagging him to start packing for a while now and all he'd gotten done was unzipping his suitcase.

" _It sucks we won't have alone time like this when we go home,"_ Natsu thought.

At the thought of returning home, the boy's stomach churned as the corners of his lips tugged downwards into an uneasy frown. Having fun with Lucy the past couple of days had allowed him to push his worries to the back of his mind. Now that they were leaving the next day, his anxiety was hitting him like a brick.

What were things going to be like when they returned home?

Natsu's fingers slightly trembled as he put away his clothes. Just the mere thought of them going back to just friends made him feel sick. But what if that's what Lucy wanted?

" _Lucy did say that she loves me,"_ Natsu reminded himself. His frown deepened, however, with his next thought. " _But I don't know if she wants to continue this. Her old man almost married her off. What if she doesn't want to be tied down because of it?"_

After all, the two were still young. Natsu would understand if Lucy wanted to experience life for herself before settling down. But that didn't mean he couldn't hope for the opposite. He had had his fair share of adventure- being a part of Fairy Tail, it was impossible not to. And though he wasn't looking on getting married or anything anytime soon, he wouldn't mind committing to only Lucy. He wouldn't mind that at all, actually.

Natsu knew that talking about it was the only way to get answers to his unspoken questions. The thought of pressuring Lucy without meaning to scared him, though. He wanted the decision to be solely hers. Besides, he couldn't find the courage to bring it up in fear that the answer would shatter him.

He dealt with dark guilds, assassins, and even a dragon that nearly killed half of his guild, himself included. During those times, he could muster up courage to defeat his enemies to protect his friends. But talking to Lucy about their relationship? He couldn't find any courage at all for it and his fears were unmatched.

* * *

Once dinner time rolled in, the two headed downstairs to the dining hall, which was packed with all of the guests. It was the last dinner of the cruise, so everyone expected something good to be on the menu for the night. And they definitely were not disappointed. The entrée was a smoked salmon with freshly squeezed lemon juice and a secret sauce. For dessert, the crew handed out slices of cheesecake topped with strawberry syrup and white chocolate shavings.

While Lucy and Natsu munched on their dessert, an employee walked to the front of the room, mic in hand. He appeared to be a year younger than them with brunette hair and brown eyes. Clearing his throat, he grabbed the attention of everyone in the vicinity.

"Good evening, everyone," he said with a kind smile. "Since this is our last dinner together, the crew and I put together a show for you all. Take it away, girls!"

A group of girls of all shapes and sizes sauntered to the front of the room. They were all adorned in bejeweled red bikini tops and bottoms and had red sashes draping over their arms. Around their necks were golden chokers with a dangling ruby that bounced with each step. Over their heads were headbands with large red and orange feathers.

The girls got into formation and soon enough began to dance to the music that was playing. Their movements were graceful and poised, timed perfectly to the beat. It reminded Lucy of Juvia when she bended water to her will.

As the music began to pick up in pace, each girl moved to a table in the crowd and twirled around with their sashes like roses blooming during Spring. Then, they handed their sashes to one of the girls at each table.

Lucy's eyes widened as the dancer at their table held the sash to her. Her cheeks tinted pink and she tried to back out of it but before she knew it, the dancer was grabbing her hands and placing the sash into them.

"Go, Luce!" Natsu cheered in excitement.

Lucy nervously stood up, embarrassed that the attention of the people at her table was on her. To make matters worse, she wasn't much of a dancer. Luckily for her, the dancer was instructing her on what to do.

With the sash in her right hand, Lucy kept her eyes trained on the dancer's movements and mimicked them the best she could. With every spin, the sash twirled around her. Soon enough, her lips stretched into a wide grin as she started to loosen up and have more fun.

Natsu laughed as he watched Lucy dance. She wasn't the best, that much was for sure. But she was giving it her all and judging by the smile on her face and the twinkle in her eye, she was having a blast. That was all that mattered. Besides, she looked stunning. The red sash twirling with her golden hair reminded him of a scalding fire.

Surprisingly enough, that happened to be a turn-on of his.

The dancer then clapped for Lucy before taking the sash back and all of the dancers regrouped at the front of the room and bowed. The guests roared with deafening cheers and applause.

* * *

Still turned on from Lucy's dance, Natsu quickly grabbed her hand the moment dinner was over and hauled ass back to their room. It was their last night alone and he was not about to waste it. Though Lucy seemed surprised by his haste at first, she seemed to get the hint and began jogging beside him as well.

The moment they got into the room, Natsu closed the door and pushed Lucy against it. He peered into her eyes, asserting dominance as he caged her within his arms. At this, Lucy gave a cute pout before surprising him and flipping their roles in the blink of an eye, now with him against the wall and Lucy pushing him against it, her breast pushed against his chest while she grinned smugly at him.

"I get to be the dominant one this time," she said, her eyes gleaming with lust. She shimmied out of her shorts, revealing the navy-blue panties that Natsu had been eyeing earlier. Then, she sashayed towards the bathroom, making sure to swing her hips because she knew damn well Natsu was staring at her ass.

Natsu growled as he watched her walk away. He wasn't one to let his dominance be taken so easily, but his curiosity as to what Lucy had planned had him waiting it out. He heard Lucy start a shower before she sauntered back to him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Natsu placed his hands over Lucy's hips and drew her closer to him as she left butterfly kisses over his neck. Her hands traveled from his hair down to his black tank-top, delving beneath and trailing over his abs. Her touch caused a shiver to run through him.

His own hands moved to her bum, giving it a harsh squeeze before journeying up her tank-top. Running his hands over her curves, he traveled up to her breasts, lightly dragging his thumbs over her hardened nipples.

Lucy pulled away from him and smirked before throwing off her tank top and shimmying out of her panties, leaving her bare in front of him. Oh, how he wished to drag his tongue over her.

"Why don't we take this somewhere a bit more _wet,_ " Lucy said in a sultry voice. Grabbing his hand, she led the way into the bathroom.

Natsu's eyes gazed at her rear and gave it a plentiful squeeze with his other hand. She was so fleshy, he loved it. Stripping away his clothes, he quickly joined Lucy in the shower, pushing her back against the tiled wall and regaining his dominance.

Lucy didn't care who was the dominant one anymore now that Natsu's naked body was against hers. Their wet skin rubbed against each other as they locked lips, allowing the water to run over them.

Natsu pulled away from their kiss only to bring his mouth to Lucy's breasts. While pleasing one breast with his tongue, he rubbed the other with his thumb.

Lucy was in pure bliss as Natsu rubbed, pinched, and licked her nipples, changing the pressure and the speed. Spreading her legs a bit, she allowed Natsu's length to slide between her legs and up against her warmth.

Feeling Lucy's folds against his shaft, Natsu growled and grabbed her thighs to lift her against the wall so that she was in the air. Then, he began to slide into her inch by inch with ease, the water acting as their lubricant.

Though she was up in the air, Lucy still managed to roll her hips against Natsu, allowing his shaft deeper inside of her. Her breaths grew shaky as Natsu began to thrust in and out of her, their bodies creating loud clapping noises each time. She could feel his cock throbbing within her, hot and wet.

Now, there was no pain at all for Lucy, only the sweet pleasure of Natsu being inside of her.

Natsu shuddered as Lucy tightened around him with each thrust. He squeezed her thighs and pounded harder into her, eliciting an erotic moan from Lucy. Inspired, he decided to switch it up. Slowing his speed, he began to move in circles within her, his cock stretching her out and moving against her entrance.

Lucy moaned louder this time.

"N-Natsu," she breathed out, her eyes squeezed shut tight. Her hands fisted his hair as he continued to explore every inch of her. They found a perfect rhythm, one that had pleasure building within her. Her toes curled and she began to lower herself harshly over his length, making sure she got to enjoy every inch of him.

"N-Natsu," Lucy moaned. "I-I'm about to cum…" The sensation continued to grow, causing her to tighten her hold on his hair. Her breaths grew shakier and her moans grew louder.

Natsu knew she was on the brink of climax. Wanting to pleasure her to the fullest, he suddenly stopped moving in circles in favor of pounding fully within her as hard and as fast as he could.

With that, Lucy arched her back and threw her head back as her body erupted with spasms.

"Natsu!" she screamed out, continuing to ride out her orgasm. Everything felt so great, she didn't want it to end. So, she continued to grind against him, her juices oozing out.

With Lucy screaming his name and her continuing to fuck him after she had orgasmed, Natsu felt himself about to break as well. It was then that he remembered he didn't have a condom on.

"Fuck," he breathed out, slowing his pace.

"W-What's wrong?" Lucy asked, still rolling her hips against him.

"I forgot a condom."

Lucy shook her head. "I don't care."

"What?"

"I-I want you inside of me and I want to finish you off right now."

"Are you sure?" Natsu asked. "What if-"

"I don't care," Lucy interrupted. And in that moment, she meant it. She didn't care about any of the possible consequences. All she wanted was to pleasure Natsu the way he pleasured her and she knew that pausing to get a condom would only ruin it.

Natsu nodded, crashing his wet lips against Lucy's as he increased his speed once again. He built up the pressure as well, practically slamming the girl against the wall with each thrust. Not that she minded, if her loud moans were anything to go by. Finally, Natsu's body locked as bouts of pleasure raked his body and he pumped into her. He pushed himself as deep as he could within her, every ounce of his fluids going inside of her until he pulled out. Some of the white liquid came out with his length, dripping onto the tub before being washed away.

"That was amazing," Lucy breathed out, leaning against the tiled wall. She was panting from all of the movement and couldn't deny that sex was the best workout.

Natsu nodded in agreement, giving the girl a fanged grin, his eyes half-lidded. "The best so far."

"Definitely. I never wanted it to end."

"That reminds me, you sure it's okay what we just did? I didn't have a condom."

Lucy arched her brows in thought before shrugging. "I doubt anything happened from that. We're in the shower so maybe the water helped most of it come out?"

"I don't think that's how it works, Luce," Natsu replied with a chuckle.

"Well I saw some of it come out. Besides, this was our first time having sex without a condom. What are the chances anything will actually happen?"

Natsu couldn't help but frown. He didn't regret what they had done in the slightest. He felt closer to Lucy because of it. But he couldn't help but worry. Usually Lucy was the worrywart yet she seemed calm about it all.

"What if you actually get pregnant?" he asked.

Lucy gazed into his eyes and with full sincerity she answered, "Then I would raise that baby and love it with all of my heart. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I want to be pregnant right now or anything, but I would be happy, too."

"Really?"

"Really. What about you?"

"I feel the same. I actually can't wait to have some miniature versions of myself!" Natsu said with a mischievous grin. "Are you sure you'd be okay with that though?"

Lucy smiled and placed a hand over his cheek. "Yes, Natsu. I would've had a child with the person I love, someone I know would make a great father. Sure, we'd have trouble financially, but we have the guild to help out. But can we stop worrying about this? I'm telling you, we're fine."

"Alright, alright. If you say so."

Natsu smiled before leaning towards the girl and capturing her lips in a gentle kiss. Just hearing her say that she loved him and wouldn't mind having a child with him made his heart swell with joy. If one thing was for certain in that moment, it was that she was his just as he was hers.

* * *

 **AN:** What do you guys think? Btw, that will be the last full smut of this story! I heard shower sex is fun so I knew I wanted to add that to the story lol. Here's the sneak peek to the next chapter:

 _The two stood outside of the guild, smiling warmly at each other. Then, they finally let go of each other's hands, immediately missing the warmth the other had to offer. They were back home._

Thank you to the people that reviewed: **MasterGildarts, andy24amk, waiting-for-you443, ThayetJade, pixiecatost, animequeen100, ColeyMari, turtle3334, Gigi-San28, Halfway-to-Heaven, animeflower107, azami-x, Dinoadge, Mannyegb, MorriganFae, Guest, BigKahuna51, CupcakeGoddess22, FairyRains, AvaMarie234, Kirinah, Fim364, Alexa60765, Lunahartz, Juvia is my spirit animal, Black Star's Wife, MrsScarletRose, Dragneel562, Lucinda, LoveroftheWord, Tohka123, Soul Eater Maka, Nalulove.** Your support means a lot. :')


	17. Chapter 17

**AN:** Back with another chapter! The next chapter will be the last, followed by an epilogue! We're so close to the end! Ready to see the guild's reaction? :D

* * *

Chapter 17

Natsu's eyes blinked open early that morning as he heard footsteps approaching their door from the hallway, followed by a slip of paper sliding underneath the crack of their door. Slowly getting up so as not to disturb his partner, the boy tiptoed towards the paper, picking it up and inspecting it. It was a thank you note from the cruise company, along with another pamphlet showing the dates of their later cruises.

Natsu's lips curled downwards into a frown. Today was their last day on the boat and it was only for a few hours. They were expected to arrive in Hargeon around noon and the train ride back to Magnolia was only an hour long. They would be returning to the guild in no time.

Returning to their old lifestyle in no time.

Natsu was usually a cheerful boy but lately he realized he'd been frowning a lot. Sure, the past two weeks were the best days of his life. Yet simultaneously, the fear of what was to come was overwhelming.

He couldn't run away from it anymore. He had to talk to Lucy and find out what she wanted. If she wanted to go back to being just friends, he would go along with it, of course. He didn't know how he would manage to do so, but he'd find a way so long as Lucy was happy. But every fiber in him hoped for the opposite. That Lucy would want to continue what they were doing even when they returned to Magnolia.

Luckily- or perhaps unluckily- Natsu didn't have too long to dwell over his negative thoughts as his motion sickness suddenly hit him like a brick. Covering his mouth with his hand, the boy ran to the bathroom and threw the lid of the toilet up before throwing up into the bowl.

Lucy groaned softly as she was forced to wake up due to Natsu's puking. At least this was the last time she would be woken up early because of it. Sitting up, the blonde rubbed her eyes before lazily rolling out of bed and stumbling towards the bathroom to help her partner.

"Come on, let's get you downstairs," she said as she looped his arm around her shoulder and stood him up. He nodded weakly, allowing her to lead the way.

Reaching the lobby, they found that a lot of the guests were already out and about. Once the lady cured Natsu's motion sickness, the two quickly headed back to their room. They wanted to watch the ship approach the dock.

Entering their room, they quickly gathered their things to make leaving easier. Thanks to Lucy making them pack the day before, all they had to do was pack up their bathroom stuff into their luggage.

Natsu's stomach churned despite having his motion sickness cured for the day. He watched with a frown as Lucy doublechecked their room for anything they might have forgotten. It was time to talk.

Lucy grabbed the handle to her suitcase, about to head towards the door when a warm hand encircled her wrist. With an arched brow, the blonde turned around to find Natsu with a glum expression on his face and his eyes glued to the floor. She rarely ever saw him in such a state.

"Natsu? What's wrong?" Lucy questioned in concern.

Natsu swallowed thickly before forcing himself to meet Lucy's gaze. His cheeks started to heat up and he felt like he could throw up again any second. It was now or never…

"What are we, Lucy?" he asked, his voice slightly strained from the nerves.

Lucy's brows rose. "What do you mean?"

"Well, before we went on this cruise, we were partners and best friends. You used to kick my ass whenever I spent the night at your place and now we're having sex just about every night. We aren't just friends anymore."

"I know. We've changed."

"Exactly. Is it just the cruise?"

"What do you mean?"

Natsu sighed heavily, knowing that their conversation could make him or break him. "Are we just like this because we're here? Because we're pretending to be married and we just got really into it?"

"No, of course not!" Lucy answered, shaking her head profusely. Placing her hand over her heart, she continued, "I know how I feel, Natsu. Being here may have made me realize my feelings, but I've had then before coming here. I love you."

Natsu blushed from head to toe. "Well what about when we get back to Magnolia?"

"Well I don't know about you, but I was hoping that we'd continue this."

"I was too! Because I feel the same about you."

The two stared at the floor, their faces flushed pink. Clearing her throat, Lucy spoke next.

"I do think it's about time we define our relationship," she said, finally staring at Natsu again.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, are we putting a label on us?"

"Do you want to?"

"I wouldn't mind. That way everyone would know to back off. Do you mind?"

"Nah, I wouldn't mind. I was getting tired of guys hitting on you all the time."

"So, it's settled then," Lucy said with a warm smile and pink cheeks. "We're officially a dating couple."

Natsu gave a fanged grin. "Yosh! I can't wait to rub it in Gray and Gajeel's dumb faces! They're always teasing me and saying I won't get a girlfriend even though they've never had one either! And turns out I'm the first one to get a girlfriend!"

"I practically consider Gajeel and Levy-chan dating. Same with Gray and Juvia."

"Well yeah but it's not official like us! So we're cooler than them!"

Lucy giggled, shaking her head. "You're so weird."

"Oi! I don't wanna hear that coming from you!" Natsu replied, giving her a crooked grin.

Lucy grabbed his hand and her suitcase, Natsu doing the same. They grabbed their key, giving their room one last fond glance. The room held so many memories. It was where their relationship began. They would miss it. With two warm smiles, they left hand-in-hand to the deck, saying goodbye to their room.

* * *

Reaching Hargeon, the two were hit with the smell of the ocean. The town was known for its ports, it only made sense that it smelled that way.

Natsu and Lucy got in line to leave the ship. They already felt sad about leaving the place that held so many precious memories for them. Not to mention their time to get frisky would be limited now that Happy would always be around.

When they reached the train station, the two purchased their tickets and boarded immediately. Natsu was relieved that the spell to cure his motion sickness lasted this long. For once, he was actually able to talk on the train rather than be a gurgling mess.

"I can't wait to rub it in their faces," Natsu said with a mischievous grin.

"Actually, I was thinking about that," Lucy began. Her brows furrowed as she continued, "Knowing the guild, they probably betted on us."

"They always do," Natsu said with a shrug.

"Exactly. And I don't know about you, but I want to make them pay for it."

"Wow, Lucy. Never thought I'd hear you say something like that. I like it!"

The girl gave a smug grin. "Thanks. How about we make it so that they don't get any money?"

"How?"

"Well, they probably all believe we got together over the cruise. Which we did, but they don't need to know that. Since they probably made a betting pool of when we got together, we can just pretend that nothing happened. That way, nobody will win anything! Maybe then they'll stop betting on our lives!"

"Sounds good to me!" Natsu said with a fanged grin. He didn't really mind the guild's nosiness and their invasive bets, but this sounded fun.

"It's settled then! We're going to pretend nothing happened between us when we get to the guild!" Lucy replied, steely determination gleaming in her brown orbs.

Natsu eyed her, enjoying this side of her. Moving fast, he pressed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss. In a low voice he said, "As long as I can do that when we're alone, I don't mind."

Seeing Lucy blush made him laugh. With that, they sat in a content silence, both wanting to do more than they could in that public space.

The train ride went by in the blink of an eye. Finally, they were back in Magnolia. The town was bustling, as usual.

"Should we drop off our stuff first before going to the guild?" Lucy suggested.

"Nah. We gotta give them their souvenirs, remember?" Natsu reminded her. "It'll be easier if we just go straight there. 'Sides, I wanna disappoint them all with their bets."

"Me too. Let's go!"

The walk to the guild took barely over ten minutes, as they walked briskly in excitement to see their friends again. The familiar, grand doors of the guild caused them to smile.

The two stood outside of the guild, smiling warmly at each other. Then, they finally let go of each other's hands, immediately missing the warmth the other had to offer. They were back home.

Natsu threw open the doors to the guild and shouted at the top of his lungs, "WE'RE BACK!"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to find their two comrades finally back from their cruise. In seconds, the building was roaring with cheers and greetings.

Natsu grunted as something rocketed into his chest. Looking down, he found Happy hugging him and sobbing onto him.

"You're finally back!" Happy cried. "Two weeks was way too long!"

Natsu chuckled and smoothed down his fur. "It was a long time. Sorry for the wait, buddy. But you could've came with us, remember?" Though, he was glad that Happy didn't come. He was sure nothing would've happened between he and Lucy if their third musketeer tagged along.

"I know, but I wanted to see if you two would-!" Happy stopped talking and glanced between the two of them. Surely something happened while they were away, right? To his disappointment and surprise, nothing seemed to have changed. They weren't holding hands or giving each other heart eyes.

"What was that?" Lucy asked, smiling at him. So they were betting on them, huh?

"Uhh, nothing!"

Lucy shrugged, about to head to the bar when something barreled into her and she fell backwards on her bum. Opening her eyes, she found a head of blue on her shoulder.

"Levy-chan!" she exclaimed.

The said girl perked her head up and grinned. "You're back, Lu-chan! Tell us all about your trip! Don't leave anything out!"

"Hey, we all want to hear about this!" Cana said. "Get your asses over here and tell us what happened!"

Lucy and Natsu sat at one of the tables, everyone else circling around them. The former chuckled nervously with the attention on her. It was even worse with what she had to say next.

"So, I may have made a mistake when reading the pamphlet," she started. "And the mistake was actually _not_ reading it. It turns out we were on a couple's cruise."

Everyone in the guild gasped with mocked surprise. They already knew this courtesy of Happy. They just needed to get to the good stuff so that they would know who won the bet.

"What happened after that?" Erza asked. She herself had invested quite the amount of money in the bet and would be cracking heads if she lost. She wasn't one for losing.

"Well when we figured it out, we had to pretend we were married. Which wasn't too hard. After all, we just held hands. Nobody ever suspected a thing."

"That's it? You held hands?" Levy deadpanned.

"Yep!"

"What about your sleeping arrangements!?" She was desperate to win. Not so much because of the money, but more to rub it in Gajeel's face.

"Oh, that. Well, I slept on the bed and Natsu slept on the couch. You know me, I would never let this idiot sleep with me."

Natsu nearly burst with laughter from the irony because they did a _lot_ of sleeping together.

"Wait," Cana began, her brows furrowing. "You guys went on a couple's cruise and didn't do _anything?"_

Lucy grinned. "Why would we do anything? Natsu and I are just best friends!"

A shattering sound came from beside Cana, where Mira had just broken one of the glasses she was holding in her hand. She was wearing one of those creepy grins that had Lucy and Natsu shivering in their seats.

"Right!" the chipper girl said. "Just friends! Great! That's perfect!"

"Ha! We told you idiots!" Gajeel exclaimed, fist-bumping with Gray.

"Pay up, everyone," the ice-make mage added.

"Wait, what?" Natsu asked as everyone started handing money to the other two boys. He and Lucy shared a glance, both in confusion. They thought nobody would've won the bet.

"Thanks for earning me some money, Lucy," Gray said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"We all made a bet. Cana and the others said that you and Natsu would come back a couple. Gajeel and I said it wouldn't happen."

"Oh?" A vein ticked in Lucy's forehead. Something about them betting against her and Natsu getting together annoyed her. Oh well. As long as Cana lost, she was fine. She knew that her brown-haired friend was the one to instigate all of these bets in the first place.

"You two idiots just made me lose a bet," Erza said, a deadly aura radiating off of her. She cracked her knuckles, instilling fear in those around.

"Sorry, Erza! But I have something that might cheer you up! We got some souvenirs for everyone!"

At the mention of a gift, the redhead calmed down immediately, her curiosity piqued.

Lucy grabbed her suitcase and pulled out all of the gifts. She handed Gray his bobblehead, Cana her flask, and everyone else their tee-shirts.

Gray accepted the souvenir in confusion. "Why does everyone else get shirts and I get a bobblehead?"

"Because I know you would just lose the shirt," Lucy answered, giving him a pointed look. "See, you aren't even wearing your shirt right now!"

"What? When did that happen? Anyways, why didn't I get a flask or something then?"

"Natsu chose the bobblehead for you."

The said boy grinned, his eyes lit with mischief. "Looks a lot like you, doesn't it?"

Before the two could start fighting, everyone thanked Lucy for the gifts.

* * *

Once night rolled in, Lucy excused herself from the guild, Natsu and Happy joining her. The three chatted on the way back to her apartment, their laughter filling the cool, crisp air. Apparently Natsu was right, Happy did end up spending a lot of their money of fish. Lucy had a feeling their small cottage was tainted with the foul stench and littered with bones.

Reaching the girl's apartment, the three situated themselves in the living room. Knowing that the two were planning on spending the night- without asking permission, of course- Lucy retrieved extra blankets and put them on the couch for them.

"I'm starving, Luce," Natsu complained. "You should make dinner."

A vein ticked in the girl's forehead. "You just ate! If you're that hungry, you should go back to your place instead. This isn't a bed and breakfast, you know."

"You're telling me you would kick us out on empty stomachs? That's just cruel!"

Lucy sighed, rolling her eyes. "I'm not making food by myself. You two are helping me."

Happy gasped. "You never let us help cook!"

"That's because all you idiots do is make a mess and eat the ingredients we need. Which you will not be doing this time, by the way." Lucy strolled into her kitchen and inspected her pantry. Most of her food had expired during her time away. "Since you already ate dinner, how about we have some dessert?"

Natsu shrugged. "Sounds good to me. I just want food."

Lucy pulled out the cake mix, along with a bowl, three eggs, vegetable oil, and a measuring cup. Grabbing some scissors, she opened the packet and poured the chocolate mix into the bowl.

"Happy, why don't you get the oil while Natsu gets the water?" Lucy suggested.

The cat nodded, carefully pouring the correct amount of oil into the measuring cup. For once, he managed to do so without making a mess, much to Lucy's surprise. Natsu, on the other hand, made a small mess while pouring the water.

"I'll crack the eggs," Lucy said, grabbing one.

"But that's the best part!" Natsu protested.

"Aye! I wanna crack one too!" Happy added.

The girl shook her head and gave the two a pointed look. "You guys are just going to get shells in the batter!"

"We'll be extra careful!" the two replied in unison. They puffed out their bottom lips in adorable pouts.

Lucy sighed, knowing she couldn't refuse them now. Damn brats. Reluctantly, she handed each of them an egg. "Watch me first! I'd rather not bite into a cake with egg shells in it so pay attention." Grabbing her egg, she tapped it a few times against the edge of the bowl. Then, she pulled it apart in one swift motion, making sure there were no shells.

Natsu and Happy awed. Though Lucy didn't cook as much as Mira, it was clear she had some skills in the kitchen. Happy grabbed his egg and lightly tapped it on the bowl, too light to make a good enough crack. Thus, he hit it harder until yolk oozed out. Carefully, he pulled the eggs apart, no shells landing in the bowl.

"Good job, Happy!" Lucy said with a grin.

"Thanks!" he replied.

Now it was Natsu's turn. He grabbed his egg and promptly smashed it against the bowl, making a huge mess. Luckily, none of the shell got into the bowl. Unfortunately, none of the yolk did either.

"Oh, my bad," Natsu said with an awkward chuckle. "Let me try again! I got this!"

Lucy sighed, retrieving another egg from the fridge. Which Natsu then smashed once again. She didn't know if he was doing it on purpose or truly didn't know his own strength.

Two eggs later, Natsu finally managed to crack the egg with the right amount of force and get the egg into the bowl. Lucy then grabbed a whisk and stirred the mix, the sweet aroma filling the air. Then, she handed it to Happy, who stirred for a bit before handing it to Natsu for his turn. By the time they finished, there were no clumps and they had silky smooth chocolate batter. Lucy took it upon herself to fill the pan herself and put it into the oven.

"How long do we have to wait?" Natsu asked, bouncing in excitement.

"Twenty minutes," she answered. "But then we have to let it cool before frosting it. So really it's closer to an hour."

Natsu and Happy shared a collective groan.

"Here, lick the spoon," Lucy suggested, offering them the batter-covered whisk.

The two grinned before accepted the whisk. Natsu licked one side before handing it over to Happy, who licked the other.

Just as Lucy had said, it took an hour before they could frost the cake. The three of them iced the cake with butter knives, making sure to get every spot. All three of them agreed that the frosting was the best part, so they were going to use a lot of the can. That is, before a brilliant idea popped into Natsu's head.

Natsu, carrying the can of frosting, turned towards Happy. His companion glanced back, his eyes landing on the frosting. And just like always, the two were on the same track without even sharing a word. Though, they did share the same mischievous gleams in their eyes.

While Lucy hummed away as she happily iced the cake, Happy scooped some of the icing with his paw. He held it by Lucy's cheek, suppressing the urge to laugh.

"Hey, Lucy. Look," he said.

"Hmm?" Lucy said as she turned her head just to have icing slathered over her cheek. She squealed, glaring at the cat. "Happy! I'm going to kill you, you stupid cat!"

Happy laughed, flying away to avoid the girl's wrath. Natsu cackled, wanting to join in on this. He scooped some of the frosting himself and plopped it onto Lucy's head as she was preoccupied with Happy.

"Oh, it's on!" Lucy said, her face flushed with anger. Snatching the can of icing, she threw caution to the wind and literally chucked some of it at Natsu, landing it straight on his chest. Then, she grabbed Happy by his tail before smearing the frosting into his fur.

With that, an epic battle ensued, leaving behind no survivors. All three of them were covered with chocolate frosting by the time they finished the can. It was in their hair, on their clothes, and covered their hands. Not to mention on Lucy's floor.

"You are so helping me clean this up," the blonde said with a groan.

"You shouldn't have thrown it, stupid," Natsu said, smirking at her.

Happy's face scrunched up disgust as he tried to get the frosting out of his fur, with no such luck.

"I'm going to go wash this off," he said, heading towards the bathroom.

Natsu and Lucy stayed in the kitchen, cleaning up their mess. Natsu wiped up the floor while Lucy took care of the counters. When they finished, they stood beside each other, waiting for Happy to finish so that one of them could wash off.

Lucy sighed as she blew an icing-covered lock of hair out of her face. "You guys are jerks, you know that?"

Natsu chuckled, nudging the girl. "You know you love us."

She smiled at him, her eyes landing on his lips. "Yeah, in different ways though, of course." Her gaze dropped to his chest, which was smeared with frosting. Using her finger, she scooped some of it up and licked it. "That's good!"

A warmth flooded Natsu's body as he was immediately aroused. Knowing it would take Happy a while to finish, he swooped down towards Lucy's face and licked the icing off of her cheek, kissing her afterwards. He then moved his lips towards his ear, whispering, "It is pretty good."

Lucy's face turned pink and an ache between her legs appeared. She licked the frosting off of Natsu's cheek and dragged her tongue down his neck and towards his chest, licking the icing there as well before venturing down to his abs, meeting the hem of his pants. Her eyes landed on the bulge, giving it a hard squeeze before standing back up and grinning smugly at her boyfriend.

Natsu growled before crashing his lips over Lucy's, one hand cupping the back of her head and the other latching onto her breast. He then lifted her onto the counter, prompting her to wrap her legs around his torso. His eyes gazed at her generous cleavage before he sunk his lips over the revealed skin, about to uncover her hardened peaks when he heard the bathroom door open.

Jumping away at the speed of light, Natsu turned to face the fridge in order to hide his arousal while Lucy scampered off of the counter and fixed her hair. Both could do nothing about their red cheeks, however.

Luckily for them, Happy was focused on other things. The cat eyed the cake, drool dripping from his mouth.

"Can we eat it yet?" he asked.

"Yep! Go for it!" Lucy answered in a squeaky voice, still trying to calm her rapid heart. "I'm going to go wash up!"

With that, she headed to the bathroom and leaned against the door with a heavy sigh. Hiding her relationship was going to be difficult, especially when she couldn't keep her hands off of him. But could anyone blame her? Natsu was hot with heaven-sent lips.

" _We definitely have to find time to pick up where we left off."_

And she would make sure they did. After all, she did have the two condoms left from the cruise.

* * *

 **AN:** So they're hiding it lol. Hope you liked the chapter!

Thank you to the reviewers: **MasterGildarts, Sgt. M00re, Grandeeney Marvell, Lucinda, MarissaS, Kirinah, aira19181, animequeen100, MorriganFae, sarara1.8, Lunacross777, LovingmyOTP's, mayu05, Avamarie234, Juvia is my spirit animal, pixiecatost, Emoelmo41212, ArcDragon, Soul Eater Maka, Alexa60765, turtle3334, Mannyegb, Lunahartz, MrsScarletRose, rigaryuna, azami-x, Dinoadge, BigKahuna51, Nalulove, TheRamenKid, LoveroftheWord, melissaanne29, Surf, Mari Cherie.** You guys are so sweet to me. :')


	18. Chapter 18

**AN:** Hi guys! As this is the last chapter, I have a lot to say! First off, I want to thank each and every single one of you for reading this story until the end! And I especially want to thank those that reviewed. :')

Secondly, a couple of you said that the last chapter was a bit rushed and after re-reading it, I have to agree. I wanted to take my time with this chapter as it is the last and I have to say that I do like it. I think it is the best ending I've written so far. You might find it a bit rushed still but I'm very happy with it. I still have a lot to work on with endings but hey, I'm trying. And I finished it so I think that's enough.

Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the last chapter of SWF! :D

* * *

Chapter 18

A heavy yawn escaped Lucy's lips as she trudged towards the guild that morning. Nearly four weeks had passed since she and Natsu had returned from the cruise. Since then, they were doing remarkably well at hiding their relationship. Every night when Happy fell asleep, Natsu would rush over to her apartment and immediately their clothes were being ripped off each other in haste of feeling the other's skin.

Hence why Lucy was always tired in the mornings now. She didn't get much sleep with their post-midnight rendezvous. Sure, there were the occasional nights that she would allow both Natsu and Happy to spend the night- in which no funny business occurred, of course- but she had kept it to a minimum in order to uphold their cover.

It wasn't that either were against telling the guild about their relationship. It was just that things were still in the early stage of their official relationship. Not to mention the whole betting incident. Plus, and perhaps most importantly, sneaking around was fun. Sneaking away from the others and knowing that they were holding such a big secret excited them. They didn't want to just give it away just yet.

There had been two times in which they had almost been caught. The first time was during one of their midnight sessions a few days after their return. Happy had apparently woken up after Natsu left to sneak to her apartment and came searching for him. Luckily, the two were able to slip into some clothes before he showed up. Lucy was glad she was with a dragon slayer because his nose sure did come in handy sometimes.

The second time was while they were on a mission with the rest of their team. Natsu had hugged Lucy after she subdued a mere thief. Since her fighting was apparently one of his turn-ons, he leaned in for a kiss after their hug while the rest of the team was staring at them. Luckily, Lucy had dodged it in time and pulled him in for another hug, reminding him about their situation.

Once Lucy entered the guild, her brown eyes surveyed the crowd, searching for her boyfriend. Thanks to his noticeably pink hair, she found him sitting at the bar between Happy and Gray. As everyone noticed her entrance, the guild roared with its usual greetings.

Lucy beamed at them all as strolled up to Natsu and the others. Happy moved to sit on the counter so that she could sit by Natsu.

"Hey, Lucy," Gray greeted with a friendly smile, one that was sure to cause Juvia's heart to throb.

"Hi, Gray!" Lucy replied. "Hey, Happy." She then turned to greet Natsu, only to find him studying her. He eyed her up and down before leaning in and sniffing her. The blonde gave him a pointed glare and backed away. "Natsu! What are you doing?"

The said boy met her gaze, eyes still narrowed slightly as he analyzed her. "You smell different."

"I smell different?"

"Yeah."

"Good different or bad different?"

"…Good maybe? Don't know. It's hard to explain."

Lucy shrugged. "As long as it's not bad different, I don't care." Turning towards Mira, she opened her mouth to order food before quickly shutting it with a frown.

"What's wrong, Lucy?" Happy asked.

"I was going to get some food but I figured I would just throw it up again anyways."

"You are still sick?" Erza asked, joining the conversation with ease. She gazed at her friend in concern. "Perhaps you should see Wendy or Porlyusica."

Lucy waved her hand in front of her and shook her head. "It's nothing that serious!"

"You've been throwing up the past few days. You really should get checked out," Gray countered.

"It's just from anxiety!"

"What are you anxious about?"

"Well, I'm not sure. But I'm sure I'm anxious about something!"

Natsu studied Lucy longer. Her scent had gradually been changing little by little as the days passed. At first, he didn't even notice it. But now, he couldn't help but think about what it could be. Usually, he could literally _smell_ the emotions rolling off people. But this wasn't one of those times. This was different. It was like Lucy's scent had mixed with something new.

As he listened to Lucy argue against seeing Wendy for her stomach issues, a thought popped into his head. His eyes widened slightly and his mouth parted at the thought before he shook his head.

" _Nah, that can't be it."_

* * *

Hours passed by without a care in the world. The guild drank, chatted, and sang in merriment just as they did every day when they weren't busy fighting some dark guilds or being mowed down by an evil dragon. Every day was like a celebration, even if there was no special occasion to celebrate. That was how Fairy Tail worked.

Lucy, sitting with the rest of the girls in the guild, sighed as she heard Natsu's maniacal laughter coming from behind, where he was engaging in a brawl with the rest of the males. Even Loke decided to make an appearance, joining the squabble. The boys were obnoxiously knocking over chairs and tables and even got close to hitting a few of the girls at times.

"Boys," Levy said with a sigh, her eyes landing on a certain boy with a long mane of unruly black hair.

"Tell me about it," Lucy agreed. With a smug grin, she continued, "But you're in _looove_ with one of them."

Her petite friend glared at her as her face turned red. "A-Am not!"

"Are too!" Lucy said. She giggled watching Levy pout.

"It's true," Erza agreed with a small nod. The corner of her lips tugged upwards into a small smirk. "Just like how Lucy is in love with someone else among that rowdy group of boys."

The blonde's cheeks morphed pink. Being accused of such a thing two months ago, she would've been denying the notion haughtily. Now, she simply shook her head. "Me? As if!"

"Don't lie!" Levy exclaimed, getting in her friend's face. "You're head over heels for Natsu and you know it!"

"You're delusional."

"You're in denial. I wish you realized your feelings when you want on that cruise. I could've bought so many books from that bet! And I could've rubbed it in stupid Gajeel's dumb face."

"Hate to break it to you, Levy-chan, but there's nothing to realize. Natsu and I are just friends." Lucy smiled knowingly. " _Friends that just so happen to be in a relationship and sleep together every night."_

As the rest of the girls resumed teasing Levy over her crush, Lucy turned her head to look at the boy she had been thinking about. He was currently dodging a devastating blow from Elfman while sweeping Max's feet from under him. His abs were in perfect view as he had long removed his vest so that he could fight better. Licking her lips, she admired his muscular arms.

He was definitely going to have to sneak over again that night.

Natsu, feeling Lucy's gaze on him, turned his head towards her. Sure enough, he found her ogling at him, causing his lips to curl upwards into a smug grin. When Lucy's eyes met his, she turned red in the face before quickly looking away in embarrassment. He chuckled.

Knowing that pleasing his girlfriend was more important than some brawl- which he didn't even know what was about anymore- Natsu excused himself from the fight, dodging blow after blow.

"Oi! Chickening out, Flamehead?" Gray taunted as he punched Elfman.

"You guys aren't enough of a challenge, Ice Princess!" Natsu shot back. He approached Lucy, who had her back turned to him as she talked to the other girls. He hugged her from behind and brought his lips to her ear to whisper, "Storage closet. Five minutes." Then, he messed up her hair to make it look like he just came over to mess with her. With that, he walked away.

With an ache between her legs and a flushed face, Lucy tried to calm her racing heart. Especially now that all of the girls' skeptical gazes were on her.

Levy groaned. "Ugh, see? When will you two just realize that you're hopelessly in love with each other?"

"Right?" Cana agreed, drinking straight out of the barrel. "Couple of dense idiots."

* * *

Once five minutes passed, Lucy excused herself from the group and walked briskly towards the storage closet. They had made the cramped room their private space for the times that they just needed to release their pent up sexual frustration. They never went all the way- Lucy refused to risk their guild catching them- but their touches were far from innocent.

She checked to make sure nobody else was around before opening the door to the dark room and quickly shutting it behind her. In seconds, her back was against the door and a set of warm lips were molded with hers. Smiling against Natsu's lips, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her.

Lucy's hands journeyed to his chest while his found home on her hips. She could feel his member poking against her and wished they were home so that she could feel the velvety texture of his sensitive skin.

Natsu released a low growl as Lucy's hands traveled downward towards the hem of his pants and lightly stroked his clothed shaft. He moved one hand to her bum while he slid the other underneath her shirt. Luckily for him, his girlfriend went many days without wearing a bra and his fingers were free to play with her hardened nubs.

Natsu tore his lips away from hers and left a rough trail of kisses over her body. He moved to her neck, then to her collarbone, closer and closer to the valley of her breasts. He was about to tug on the collar of her shirt so that he could tease her breasts with his tongue when light suddenly filled the previously dark room.

The two froze, Natsu's hand hovering over Lucy's breast, the other still on her rear. Lucy's were on his abs, as she was previously stroking them. With disheveled hair and flushed faces, it wasn't hard to guess what they were doing. And unfortunately for them, the worst possible person to find them was standing at the entrance of the doorway, her eyes widened and her jaw practically dropped to the floor.

"Shit," Natsu muttered, still unable to move his hands. Lucy groaned and covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.

Mira's blue eyes glanced between the two and she dropped the tray that was in her hands, causing the glasses to shatter. Then, she raised a shaky hand to point at them.

"Y-You… You two are…" she began, unable to form a coherent sentence out of sheer astonishment.

"Here we go…" Lucy mumbled.

When Mira's mind finally made sense of what she was seeing, her eyes went even wider and a wide grin settled over her face. Then, she squealed loud enough to startle all of Fiore.

"Oh my! I knew it!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down. "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" Without giving the two any time to explain themselves, the excited girl then ran off to join the rest of the guild and tell them about her discovery.

Lucy sighed, shaking her head. "Well, it was fun while it lasted."

"Should we go out there?" Natsu asked.

"It'd be better than having everyone bombarding us with questions in here. Come on, let's go."

The two joined everyone else in the guild, who was staring at Mira in concern as she literally shook with glee.

"Everyone, guess what!" she exclaimed. "I just caught Natsu and Lucy making out in the storage closet!"

The room went dead silent as everyone glanced between Mira and the said two. Then, all hell broke loose.

"You _what!?"_ Erza demanded, her face matching her hair.

Levy ran up to her blonde best friend. "Is this true, Lu-chan!?"

The said girl sighed and dragged a hand down her face. "Yes, it's true."

"H-How long have you been-? Are you dating? How far have you gotten?"

"One question at a time, Levy-chan. We've been dating since the cruise. And I'm not answering how far we've gone in front of everyone!"

"Since the cruise!?"

From behind the petite girl, Gajeel scoffed and crossed his bulky arms over his chest. Glaring at Natsu, he asked, "You couldn't hide it any longer?"

"Wait, did you know about this?" Gray asked.

"'Course I did. I'm sure Wendy did too. Their scents are always mixed together now. It's disgusting."

"Whoa, whoa, wait!" Levy exclaimed, glaring at the iron dragon slayer. "That means you knew that we actually won the bet this whole time!"

Erza pulled out a sword, glaring at Gajeel and Gray. "Pay up, lousy cheaters."

The two boys grunted and cursed under their breaths as they got the money they owed, which was quite a bit since they also had to return the money they took when they believed they won the bet. They paused from their movements as they heard a loud gasp coming from their right.

Happy's eyes widened as he pointed at Natsu and Lucy. "Wait a second! Is that why you were at Lucy's place at like three in the morning!?"

Lucy turned red and groaned in embarrassment as the guild turned their gazes back to them.

"Three in the morning?" Cana repeated with an arched brow and smug grin. "Well, well, well. What could these two lovebirds _possibly_ be doing at three in the morning?"

Unlike Lucy, Natsu wasn't embarrassed and simply grinned with pride, letting everyone know that their insinuations were correct. He, Natsu Dragneel, was sleeping with none other than Lucy Heartfilia.

"Shoot me," Lucy muttered.

"You two managed to keep it a secret for a while," Gray commented. "It's almost been a month since you guys got back."

"You two love each other, don't you?" Mira added with hearts in her eyes. Her number one couple in the guild finally got together. It was like a dream come true. Next up were Gray and Juvia. Perhaps she should send them on one of those cruises as well.

Lucy and Natsu shared a glance, the former finally getting over her embarrassment. The two smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, we do," Lucy answered, lacing her hand with Natsu's.

Natsu gave the girl a toothy grin before swooping down and pressing a quick peck against her cheek. The girls in the guild cooed while the boys shared mock looks of disgust.

"Get a room," Gray jibed.

"It was better when they were two dense idiots. Now they're two sappy idiots," Gajeel added.

"Oh hush," Levy said, elbowing the boy. "Lu-chan and Natsu are finally together! You know what that means?"

"PARTY!" everyone shouted.

With that, Mira started serving more drinks to everyone while Gajeel began playing one of his songs. The girls pulled Lucy with them to bombard her with personal questions while the guys merely patted Natsu on the back in a congratulatory manner.

Even with news of Natsu and Lucy's relationship, Fairy Tail was still Fairy Tail.

* * *

"I can't believe you two kept such a big secret from me!" Happy complained with a pout. "I'm your partner too, you know!"

"Sorry, buddy," Natsu replied, smiling at his companion. "We knew you would just tease us."

"What? I would never do that! When have I ever- okay, yeah. You're right."

The three laughed as they walked back to Lucy's place for a sleepover. With Happy joining them, Lucy and Natsu wouldn't be able to get frisky, but that was alright. They were tired after the party anyways.

When they reached Lucy's apartment, Natsu and Happy immediately raided her fridge, leaving the girl to sigh. It was to be expected.

The three sat in the living room, snacks beside them and a board game in the center. Lucy continued to beat them at every game they played. Natsu demanded for rematches every time due to his competitive side, but was never able to best her.

Natsu glanced at Lucy's face as she took her turn. Her warm smile had his cheeks heating up, prompting him to pull at his scarf. There was something he had been mulling over since they returned from their cruise and now that their secret was out, it seemed like the perfect time to discuss it with his girlfriend.

"You know, I was thinking," Natsu began, his gaze lowering to the table. "With Happy and I always spending the night-"

"You mean breaking in?" Lucy interrupted with a smirk.

"Details, details," Natsu replied with a wave of his hand. "Anyways, what I'm saying is we're always together. We might as well, you know, live together."

Happy grinned and nodded his head. "Aye! That sounds fun!"

Lucy's eyes widened and her cheeks flooded with warmth. "R-Really?"

"Yeah!" Natsu answered, grinning at the girl. "I think it'd be awesome!"

"You don't think we'd be moving too fast?"

"Luce, we slept together before we started dating. I'm pretty sure we move fast regardless."

Happy chuckled, about to tease them before Lucy silenced him with a threatening glare.

"Besides," Natsu continued, "we're all partners! And it'll save you money on rent."

"That is true," Lucy said, tapping her chin in thought. Though, it wasn't like she had much to think about. The love of her life and best friend was asking her to move in with him, what was there to think about? Sure, she loved her apartment, but this extra step in her relationship with Natsu had her heart swelling with joy. "Let's do it!"

"Aye!" Happy cheered. "Lucy's moving in with us!"

"But you guys have to stop being so messy!"

"Deal," the two replied in unison.

With that, the three grinned at each other while discussing the dates they would start packing and moving Lucy's stuff to their cottage.

The three were more than friends and more than partners. They were a family. Even more so now that they were all going to be living together.

Lucy glanced towards Natsu and smiled warmly. Just over a month ago, the two were either hiding or in denial about their feelings. Now, they were going to be moving in together. Everything was working out for them and she believed she couldn't be happier.

Luckily for her, the universe had another surprise coming up for them in the near future. But for now, she was content with what she had. A wonderful guild, a great team, two amazing partners, and a loving boyfriend.

With their hearts set on the future, the family trio smiled and laughed throughout the night.

* * *

 **AN:** Well, that's it! I hope you guys liked the last chapter! There will be an epilogue coming up soon! :D THANK YOU AGAIN TO THOSE THAT READ/FOLLOWED/FAVED THIS STORY ILY ALL SO MUCH!

AND AN EVEN BIGGER THANKS TO THOSE THAT REVIEWED: **Grizzly98, MrsScarletRose, JustAnotherFan14, Mari Cherie, MasterGildarts, Alexa60765, Dinoadge, Grandeeney Marvell, edelweiss03, mushi0131, Brea4458, Mannyegb, MorriganFae, LoveroftheWord, Kirinah, Lucinda, sarara1.8, AvaMarie234, Lunahartz, Juvia is my spirit animal, CairBair, KatanaNoNeko, Tohka123, Soul Eater Maka, turtle3334, Guest, BigKahuna51, Nalulove.**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN:** Alright guys, this is it for SWF! I hope you guys like it! And yes, it's short. It's just an epilogue though, it's not supposed to be a lengthy chapter haha. I could've posted this a while ago, but I kept forgetting for like the past week. My bad. So, without further ado, here is the epilogue and final addition to SWF. :')

* * *

Epilogue

"Mama, I wanna go too!"

"Sorry, Nashi. This cruise is just for your father and I. We'll go on a family trip some other time!"

"Can we at least stay with Uncle Happy? I don't want to go to _his_ house!"

"Too bad. Happy would just feed you two fish the entire time we're gone and destroy our house. You're staying with Uncle Gray and Aunt Juvia."

"But Mama-!"

"No buts. It's just two weeks, Nashi. You'll be fine. Look, Lucas is excited to stay with the Fullbusters!"

"That's because he's friends with Storm!"

Lucy sighed and brought her fingers to her temples, rubbing them to soothe her oncoming headache. Arguing with children was fruitless. Especially children that received their hardheaded personality from their father.

"If you stay with the Fullbusters without complaint, I'll have your dad teach you a new move, alright?" Lucy bribed, her patience running thin.

A wide grin swept over her daughter's face as she nodded. "Yay! I'm all fired up!"

Lucy grinned as Nashi ran out of the room to pack her things. Now, she was able to finish packing her own suitcase.

Ten years had passed since Lucy and Natsu returned from the cruise that put them together. Since then, a lot had happened. First, she moved in with her two partners soon after their return. It had taken a little while to get accustomed to living together, especially since Lucy wasn't used to living in such a pigsty and Natsu and Happy weren't used to having to clean up after themselves. They eventually got the hang of it, though.

Then, they were surprised to find out that she had been pregnant. Considering they only had unprotected sex the time that Lucy had insisted on the cruise that they wouldn't get pregnant from it, it had to be then that Nashi was conceived.

Telling Natsu she was pregnant had been a nerve-racking time. They had only been together for a couple of months and they were still young, she was scared he wouldn't want to raise their child with her. She was wrong, of course. When she finally mustered up the courage to tell him, Natsu was jumping with joy as tears brimmed his eyes the moment she told him.

Soon after, Natsu had proposed to her. Lucy was worried that he only did it because she was pregnant, but he had assured her that he bought the ring before he found out and was just waiting on the right time. They had a heartfelt wedding at the guild with all of their family watching.

Months later, Nashi was born. She was the first-born child since Asuka, so the guild made sure to throw a massive celebration. Nashi was just like Natsu. She had the messy pink hair, the fanged grin, and the reckless personality to match. The only attribute that matched Lucy's were her brown eyes.

A year later, they were surprised yet again with another pregnancy, leading to the birth of their son, Lucas. While Nashi was more like Natsu, Lucas was just like Lucy. He had neat golden hair, a levelheaded personality, and was kind to everyone around. He was also a bit shyer than Nashi, but he got along well with everyone in the guild.

Natsu and Lucy tried teaching them both of their magic, but it was clear they were more suited for one than the other. Nashi instantly took to dragon slayer magic while Lucas preferred celestial magic.

Lucy was thankful that her children got along well. She didn't have a sibling growing up so she knew how lonely it could be at times and was glad her children would always have each other. Nashi protected Lucas while he protected her in return.

Lucy smiled nostalgically as she packed her suitcase. Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, she turned her head to find Natsu giving her a fanged grin that had her heart racing in her chest. Even after so many years, he still had that effect on her.

"You almost done packing yet, Luce?" Natsu asked, wrapping his arms around her waist. "We have to drop the kids off at Gray's soon."

"Am I being rushed by you of all people?" Lucy asked in return. "Are you even finished packing?"

"Yep!"

"Do you have clothes?"

"Duh!"

"Swimsuit?"

"Yep!"

"Toothbrush?"

"Ye- Wait, nope. Guess I did forget something."

Lucy chuckled, shaking her head. "Of course you did. Turning around to face him, she snaked her arms around his neck and glanced at his lips before meeting his gaze. "You better finish packing soon. I'm planning on using the next two weeks _very productively."_ She trailed a finger over Natsu's chest, leading downwards to the hem of his pants.

Natsu swallowed thickly before nodding and rushing out of the room to finish packing and helping the kids. Ever since Nashi and Lucas were born, they didn't have as much time to get frisky as before. So, he wasn't going to waste this blessed opportunity.

Once everyone was packed and ready, the Heartfilia-Dragneel family were on their way to the Fullbusters' house. Reaching their destination, Natsu and Nashi banged loudly on the door in order to annoy their rivals.

Immediately, Gray threw the door open and gave a cold glare to Natsu.

"If you break my door I'll break your face, Ash for Brains," he threatened.

"I'd like to see you try, Ice Prick!" Natsu shot back, flames covering his hands.

Lucas, having more rationality than the both of them combined, tugged on Gray's pants to get his attention. "Can I go play with Storm?"

Gray smiled at the boy and nodded. "Yeah, go ahead. He's in his room." He then turned to Nashi. "Yuki is in his room too if you want to go play with him."

Nashi pouted and turned red in the face as she crossed her arms. "Why would I want to play with that Stripper?" Despite her words, however, she walked passed Gray and headed up the stairs towards Yuki's room. Even though they always bickered and fought, they were best friends.

"Thank you for watching them for us," Lucy said, smiling at Gray.

He returned the expression. "No problem. You know I love those kids like they're my own. But hey, you guys should get going before you miss your train." He turned to Natsu and gave him a sly grin. "You know, a train. That moves on wheels."

Natsu's face immediately turned green and he hunched over in pain. "I-I'm gonna kill you…"

Lucy sighed, helping Natsu hold himself up. "Thanks a lot, Gray. As if I won't have enough of this to deal with anyways."

"You're welcome. Now hurry up, idiots. Your train leaves soon." As Natsu and Lucy shouted their goodbyes to their children before heading down the path towards the train station, Gray called out, "Have fun on your anniversary trip!"

* * *

The train ride was a disaster, to say the least. Since Wendy was off on a job, Natsu had to sit through it all without the help of Troia. And since he was suffering, Lucy inevitably suffered as well as he laid his head on her lap and profusely drooled onto her.

Luckily, it only took an hour to reach Hargeon. The two walked through the streets towards a familiar building to purchase their tickets. The building had been remodeled over the ten years since they had been there last and was no longer small like before. It was a two-story building with plenty of space. Just as before, the furniture was regal and spotless.

Purchasing the tickets took no time at all and the two were finally headed towards the dock where the ship was anchored. The scent of seaweed filled the air, even more so as they got closer to Hargeon Port. Seagulls flew in the gentle breeze.

Reaching the dock, they found the ginormous ship. The company's name was proudly printed on the side. There was a long line to board the ship since they got there a bit later than planned thanks to their kids taking their precious time packing.

Fortunately, the line moved quickly and the two were at the front in no time. They handed their tickets to the attendant and were granted access onto the ship. This time, they were on the first floor- they had tried to get their old room for good time's sake but it was already booked, sadly.

The ship was packed with couples touching in some way or another, just as the last time they were there. Many of the couples were younger than them, presumably newlyweds. Lucy and Natsu wondered if any of them just so happened to have been pretending to be married, just as they had all those years ago.

Reaching the front desk, the two smiled at the receptionist, a younger woman with auburn hair and stormy grey eyes.

"Hi, I'm Lucy Heartfilia-Dragneel and this is my husband, Natsu Heartfilia-Dragneel," the blonde said.

The attendant clasped her hands together and gushed, "Oh my! That's so adorable you both took each other's names!"

Lucy giggled and nodded. When Natsu had proposed to her, she was wary at the thought of relinquishing her last name. After all, she was the last of the Heartfilias, her name was all she had left of her parents. But she couldn't ask Natsu to change his name either. Luckily, Natsu offered the idea of combining both of their names. She had such a considerate husband.

"Thank you," Lucy replied with a warm smile.

The receptionist searched through the guest list to find their room numbers. Upon doing so, she fetched two keys for the both of them.

"Here you go!" she said. "Enjoy your stay!"

"Oh, before we go, I was actually wondering if you still have medical mages on deck to alleviate motion sickness."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that! Our ship was made in such a way that it isn't a problem anymore!"

"Yosh!" Natsu cheered, raising a fist in the air. "That's awesome!"

Lucy and Natsu accepted the keys and thanked the receptionist before heading towards their room. It wasn't hard to find since it was on the first floor.

Entering their room, they were glad to see that it wasn't much different from their last trip. It had a single bed, drawers, and a sofa. The bathroom was just as pristine and the room was just as spacious. But there was one thing they needed to make sure hadn't changed…

Lucy closed the door behind them and situated her suitcase against the wall. Then, she strolled over to the nightstand beside the table, pulling out the drawer. Sitting inside was a box of condoms. With a smirk, the girl pulled one out and turned to face her husband.

"Well?" she said, her voice carrying the lust she felt in that moment. It had been a few days since they were able to really let loose and she wasn't going to waste it.

"Are we going to get started?"

* * *

 **AN:** And that's it for SWF haha! :D I didn't want to write any smut in the epilogue lol. I hope you guys liked it! THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH TO THOSE THAT READ/FOLLOWED/FAVED! AND SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE THAT REVIEWED! YOU ARE ALL SO AWESOME AND I'M GLAD YOU LIKED THE STORY!

Since it's the last addition, I'm going to individually reply to the reviews here, so skip this if you want. :)

 **jillianwithag:** I'M GLAD YOU LIKED IT HAHA THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEW!

 **Promiselight:** All good things must come to an end. :) And thank you so much! I will make new nalu stories in the future, but for now I'm just going to focus on the one I have in progress already. :)

 **KatanaNoNeko:** SHE SURE WAS PREGNANT HAHA! :D Thank you for the review and reading the story! :)

 **MasterGildarts:** Hahaha thank you so much! I knew I wanted Mira to be the one to catch them lol. I hope you liked the epilogue too! :)

 **Grandeeney Marvell:** Definitely a baby lol! Not dying! I could never write a story with someone dying, I'm too much of a sucker for happy endings lmaooo. Thank you for the review and I hope you liked the story! :D

 **QuinnUwU:** THANK YOU SO MUCH HAHA. I will miss this story too. It's always bittersweet ending a story. :')

 **Alexa60765:** ALL CAPS. THAT'S A GOOD SIGN LOL. AND YES YES YES LITTLE NASHI AND LITTLE LUCAS MAKE AN APPEARANCE! :D

 **Mannyegb:** Omg thank you so much. Your review meant so much to me. :') Like ahhh my heart. I'm so glad you liked this story and thank you for the reviews. :')

 **Guest:** Yep! She was pregnant! :D Thank you for the review! :)

 **Gigi-San28:** Ahhh thank you! I did put a lot of hard work into this story, more than some of my others lol. But that's because I had SO MANY NICE REVIEWERS LIKE AHHH. Seriously, I wouldn't have been able to make this story the way it was without you guys so thank you. :)

 **Lunahartz:** THANKS SIS YOU'RE SO SWEET! :D

 **Donthedarkdragon26:** Ahh sorry, there will be no sequel or anything like that to this story. Maybe one day a oneshot or something small like that but I wouldn't get my hopes up. I'm content with how things ended and I feel like if I wrote something else with it, it would never end. And all good things must come to an end! But thank you for reading the story and for reviewing! :)

 **sarara1.8:** Thank you so much I'm glad you liked it. :)

 **Grizzly98:** Ahhh thank you haha! It was definitely my best ending so far lol. Thank you for the review. :)

 **FairyTailLover04:** I hope this chapter cleared things up for you! :D Yep, she was pregnant! I wouldn't leave something like that out! ;D Thank you for reading and reviewing! :D

 **Mezatron:** I feel the same way tbh. Thank you very much. :)

 **TigeressRshai:** I hope you liked it! And thank you! :)

 **LoveroftheWord:** Thank you sooo much! I hope you love the epilogue too. :)

 **maciaszaida:** There will be no sequel, I'm sorry. I ended it in a way so that there would be no way for a sequel haha. I'm content with how it ended, hope you understand. :) And thank you so much for reading and reviewing! :D

 **Kaydence-Fairy:** YESSSS GETTING SOME NALU BABIESSSS AS IN MORE THAN ONEEEE! :D Haha your review was so enthusiastic I loved it! Thank you for reading and glad you liked it! :D

 **animequeen100:** HAHA EVERYONE WAS SO EXCITED FOR THE NALU BABY. PLOT TWIST, THERE'S TWO! :D

 **saraosborn99:** You might wanna throw your phone twice then because there were two babies! Yay for babies! :D And thank you very much! :)

 **Juvia is my spirit animal:** Didn't write anything with how Lucy found out, but I wrote a very small part of how Natsu reacted if that makes it better? :D And THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING EVERY CHAPTER! You are amazing! :D Quick question, do you like this story or Fairy Tail more? :O

 **JustAnotherFan14:** Sorry, no sequel but I'm glad you liked it! :D Thank you! :)

 **aira19181:** Awww thank you sweet person! And I didn't write reactions so much as just everything else lmao. Hope you still enjoyed. :)

 **Miamas:** HAHA AWW THANK YOU! YOU'RE SO KIND HAHA. Are you the one on Tumblr that leaves me such nice messages? :')

 **Kirinah:** Ahhh hearing someone actually wants to reread the story makes me so happy. :') That lets me know I did well because I only reread stories I really love lol. Thank you so much I'm glad you enjoyed! :D

 **LovingmyOTP's:** I imagine Happy being annoying just to rile them up lmao. And thank you! I didn't want to drag it out because I know the guild would be so happy about it! Thank you for the review! :D

 **Emoelmo41212:** Ahh thank you so much! :')

 **Lunacross777:** An epilogue, yes! :D And ahh thank you! :') This story is definitely a fan favorite lol!

 **MorriganFae:** YES THAT IS WHAT I WAS GOING FOR HAHA I WAS SO GLAD YOU NOTICED THAT! Idk who has seen it yet and who hasn't but I was hoping people would get that reference! :D And thank you for the reviews, I'm glad you enjoyed the story. :')

 **Mari Cherie:** Thank you so much! And haha everyone knew about the nalu baby coming but maybe they didn't see the second one coming? :D Little known fact, I always make Nashi and Lucas, so if I have a Nalu baby, expect both of them lol they are a package! :D

 **BigKahuna51:** AWW FAV AUTHOR!? YOU FLATTER ME. :') And this epilogue isn't exactly what you asked for but I hope it suffices! :D

 **Lucinda:** THANK YOU SO MUCH! :D

 **Tohka123:** She was most definitely pregnant lol. And thank you I'm glad you liked it! :D

 **Dinoadge:** Well yeah she was pregnant but they made it work. :') And thank you so much! The last chapter is how I picture the guild would react: throwing a huge party lmao.

 **madison16322:** YES YOU GET TWO NALU BABIES ENJOY! :D

 **turtle3334:** Thank you so much! :)

 **Guest:** YES, TWO OF THEM! :D

 **Soul Eater Maka:** I KNOW I'LL BE SAD WITH YOU LOL. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 **mushi0131:** I don't know when you'll read this since you aren't caught up yet lol but thank you for all of the reviews! You are one of my fav authors so it means a lot. :')

 **Sblackw:** Thank you so much hopefully you enjoyed the epilogue too! :)

 **Winter Foxx:** Ahh thank you so much! :D I was really trying to make the ending less rushed but for me, epilogues are always rushed I think. Let me know what you think because I don't really know haha!

 **Nalulove:** Thank you for the reviews glad you liked it. :)

 **chocolatecatsconfusion:** I hope you liked it! I kept everyone waiting longer than I meant to lmao. Thank you for the review! :D


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